Landbridge unveils Darwin expansion plans

The company, which won control of the port under a $506m lease agreement with Australia’s Northern Territory government, is planning a one kilometre extension of its quay line amongst other developments.

Chief executive, Terry O’Connor, said: “It’s an exciting time for Darwin Port with investment of around $25m in works now underway or immediately planned on current projects. We’ve engaged a number of local businesses on port development and we are delighted to be investing in the Darwin economy through local contracts”.

Within weeks of securing the lease, the Landbridge Group initiated an investigation into the expansion options of the port. This study considered an extension of the current quay line by 1000 metres in the areas of dry bulk exports, liquid bulk imports, live cattle and container and general cargo throughput and how this would impact the overall layout of the East Arm Wharf.

As a result the port now has a concept design on the most suitable locations for infrastructure developments in these trade sectors. The recommendations include the repositioning of dry bulk loading operations and liquid bulk unloading operations to the proposed new quay line extension.

Guidance was also provided on expansion options for the existing container park as numbers exceed the existing capacity of 78,000teu per year. With land reclamation on adjacent sites, the port will be able to achieve a capacity throughput of up to 500,000teu per year.

Work to realise these recommendations is now underway.

Looking to the future, the port authority is in discussions with a number of mineral export proponents to explore the possibility of improving capacity for all the potential products that may be moved through the port.

Additionally the port authority is exploring the need for a cross land conveyor system from the port stockpile site to the bulk loading system; dedicated enclosed storage sheds; additional bulk loading systems for products not compatible with existing systems and additional rail dump facilities to reduce rail terminal bottlenecks.

Mr O’Connor commented: “Darwin Port is well positioned for the future, with strong prospects and clear certainty to become a major logistics hub, servicing the growth and development needs of Northern Australia and beyond. To realise this, we’ve adopted a broad vision for the future.”

“The Port Development Plan 2016 represents a clear strategy designed to inform the Territory, port stakeholders and the wider community about the development vision for the port precincts within the Port of Darwin,” he added.

The plan launch coincides with port development projects already underway and in design and planning phases. These include a refrigerated container park, a strategic hardstand development and a harbour support vessel facility.