Global port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has outlined a significant proposal for the expansion of the Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT), its 100 percent owned subsidiary in the Port of Melbourne, Australia, according to the company's release. The proposal would dramatically increase efficiencies and pave the way for larger ships to berth at Australia’s pre-eminent port, according to the company's release.
ICTSI could invest over AUD500 million (USD343 million) in addition to the more than AUD700 million (USD481 million) it has already invested in Victoria, Australia since the establishment of VICT in 2014; making ICTSI one of the largest foreign infrastructure investors in the state of Victoria.
Under the proposal, ICTSI would undertake a phased development of the Webb Dock North Container Terminal and integrate its operations with VICT. The design would deliver higher operating efficiencies at a lower development cost and, importantly, with a significantly reduced environmental impact compared to competing proposals.
The development would increase VICT’s container capacity to 3.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), allowing for four container berths with the ability to service vessels up to 14,000 TEUs and up to 367 meters in length.
ICTSI’s executive vice president, Christian Gonzalez, says the company is the ideal long-term strategic partner for the Port of Melbourne to ensure it can meet the growing demands of Australia’s busiest container port.
ICTSI has engaged multiple global firms to assess the merits of its proposal in comparison to current expansion designs for the Port of Melbourne. Jacobs Engineering undertook a detailed technical assessment, including estimates of construction costs, while Boston Consulting Group focused on market and economic assessments.
The external reports conclude that ICTSI’s proposal could deliver cost savings of more than AUD240 million (USD165 million) and spread the timing of spend over a longer time period while introducing significant capacity into the market sooner.