Construction has begun at the Port of Melbourne’s Webb Dock as part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s AUS$1.6bn port capacity project to ensure the port can meet growing trade demands.
The work will include purpose built road connections and an automotive facility with additional shipping berths and ‘on dock’ pre delivery inspection facilities, which the government says is necessary to allow the port to cater for Victoria’s growing car trade.
The project will create around 1,100 new direct jobs and 1,900 indirect jobs in the export, import and freight sectors, while protecting thousands of existing jobs.
Premier Denis Napthine, Victorian Government, said: “The works at Webb Dock have been expedited enabling Melbourne’s third container terminal and new world class automotive facilities to be operational in late 2016.”
He added: “The Coalition Government is getting on with the job of ensuring we have the necessary capacity to meet growing trade demands, generating additional employment, protecting existing jobs and boosting the economy.”
The competitive bidding process for the right to operate the container and automotive facilities is currently underway.
