The right to operate the third international container terminal at the Port of Melbourne has long been regarded as Australia’s premier port
s opportunity claim the Port of Melbourne Corporation.
Offered to the market in October 2012, the new container terminal is the centrepiece of the Victorian Government’s $1.6 billion Port Capacity Project and attracted expressions of interest from a wide field of Australian and international bidders.
Located at Melbourne’s Webb Dock East, the new facility is offered as a package that comprises around 30 hectares of waterfront terminal, a utility ‘off-dock’ area and an adjoining empty container facility. The new terminal is mandated to provide a capacity of at least one million containers per annum.
Port of Melbourne Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Bradford, today confirmed the identity of the bidders who have been shortlisted and invited to progress to the Request for Proposals phase.
“This is the jewel in the crown of Australian ports and the responses received during the expressions of interest phase confirm the strategic significance of operating a terminal at Australia’s premier port,” Mr Bradford said.
“Following a rigorous expert evaluation, the following organisations have accepted the invitation to compete in the Request for Proposals phase” he said.
Melbourne’s Third International Container Terminal Bidder Shortlist
- A consortium comprised of CMA CGM S.A. – ANL Container Line Pty Ltd and Macquarie Specialised Asset Management Limited
- Australian International Container Terminals Ltd (AICTL) – (a consortium comprised of International Container Terminal Services Inc. and Anglo Ports Pty Ltd)
- Hutchison Port Holdings (part of Hutchison Whampoa Limited)
- Qube Holdings Limited
“The shortlisted bidders will soon be issued with the Corporation’s ‘Request for Proposals’ specifications and will prepare their detailed submissions along with furnishing the required financial guarantees which will enable their bid to be considered”
“In evaluating the bids we are seeking innovation to deliver higher levels of operational efficiency alongside the requirements to operate a growing port in the middle of one of the nation’s largest cities.”
“Importantly, we are also seeking commercial returns that are in line with the significance of this rare opportunity” Mr Bradford said.
The Project is funded by the Port of Melbourne Corporation which provides the “backbone” infrastructure while the private sector operators will fund the terminal superstructure and fit outs.
The Corporation’s investment in developing these new assets will be recovered through fees and charges normally applied to users of the port.
Works undertaken by the Corporation within the Webb Dock precinct also includes the construction of new roads connecting the terminal directly to Melbourne’s freeway network as well as extending and upgrading the berths.
“These works will be delivered early in the program enabling the successful bidder to expedite the fit out and commissioning of their facility” Mr Bradford said.
With the first container vessel predicted to depart the new terminal in late 2016, Mr Bradford emphasised the Corporation’s desire to ensure the new facility is delivered prior to the Port’s existing two container terminals reaching their theoretical capacity.
“The Port of Melbourne Corporation is aware of the costs associated with major infrastructure bidding and coupled with the need to deliver additional capacity; we intend to expedite the competitive appointment processes accordingly”
The shortlisted bidders will be required to lodge their proposals in September this year and it is expected that the successful bidder will be announced in early 2014.