I am advised:
(1) At Port Botany about 85 per cent of containers either originate from, or
are destined for, locations within 40 kilometres. Companies in Western Sydney
are major users of these containers.
Port Kembla has been identified
as the next container port once capacity at Port Botany is reached. Port Kembla
is significantly closer to Western Sydney and is less subject to congestion
from the growth in bulk commodity exports than the Port of Newcastle. This
approach also minimises the cartage of port containers on the Main Northern
Railway and the Pacific Highway.
Faced with the expected doubling of
the NSW freight task by 2031, Transport for NSW is developing the first NSW
Freight and Ports Strategy. Port planning is a feature of the strategy and will
provide the impetus for detailed analysis of the future freight task. The NSW
Freight and Ports Strategy will identify the actions needed to facilitate the
transport of port freight across NSW. The draft NSW Freight and Ports Strategy
is on public exhibition and remains open for comment until February 2013.
(2) The long-term lease of Port Botany and Port Kembla will ensure
private sector investment in the ongoing development of the ports, while
allowing the Government to focus on delivering critical services and
infrastructure, including roads, school and hospital projects, across NSW.
Improved coordination of port landside logistics and freight
corridors, coupled with planned strategic intermodal developments, are part of
the suite of initiatives outlined in the draft NSW Freight and Ports Strategy.
These will enhance the capacity of ports by maximising the efficiency of
related transport infrastructure, delivering real savings to industry and
minimising environmental and community impacts.
A private sector
lessee will bring a range of benefits to the ports including:
- Greater access to capital to support the development and growth of the
ports over time.
- Specialist infrastructure expertise and experience in developing maritime
facilities and services.
The NSW Government has established the Bureau of Freight Statistics, as part
of Transport for NSW, for expanded freight data collection and analysis. This
analysis will inform the ongoing development of the NSW Freight and Ports
Strategy, ensuring implications of port developments are assessed along the
relevant supply chains.
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