The Victorian Coalition Government's $1.6 billion Port Capacity Project has appointed the first private sector operators for the new facilities being constructed at Melbourne's Webb Dock.
Minister for Ports David Hodgett has announced the successful bidders for the port's new'on-dock'pre-delivery inspection facilities,which will cater for Victoria's automotive trade.
"Overall,this is a project of significance that protects Victoria's economic future and secures the jobs of thousands of people across the state,"Mr Hodgett said.
"The new pre-delivery inspection hub means that vehicles are prepared for delivery to dealers'on the dock',right next to where they are unloaded off the ships.
"Currently,a small number of pre-delivery services are carried out within the port precinct,but around one-third of the cars handled at the port are trucked across the WestGateBridge for pre-delivery servicing before being trucked back across the bridge for delivery to dealers.
"This new facility consolidates the import-export service in one location,increasing efficiency and reducing unnecessary truck shuttles around our freeway network."
Last year,the Port of Melbourne handled more than 356,000 vehicles,including around 80,000 locally made cars that were exported to markets around the globe,many to the Middle East.
"Today we are announcing the successful bidders for Victoria's new integrated pre-delivery inspection facility covering around 16 hectares,"Mr Hodgett said.
"The facilities will be built alongside the new world-class automotive terminal and will give the state's automotive import and export industries the capacity to double within the next decade and to further grow to handle more than a million cars by 2040.
"Following an extensive competitive bidding process,the rights to operate the facility have been won by Patrick AutoCare and Prix Car.These two existing pre-delivery inspection operators account for almost 80 per cent of the state's total pre-delivery inspection volume,"Mr Hodgett said.
Patrick AutoCare will develop a 12-hectare site,while Prix Car will build a new 4-hectare facility,both of which are expected to be operational by mid-2015.
"This new pre-delivery inspection hub is part of a$1.6 billion investment and is being delivered without tax payer funding.The Port Capacity Project will help ensure Victoria remains the freight and logistics capital of Australia into the future,"Mr Hodgett said.
The new pre-delivery inspection facility brings around 170 jobs to the port and this number is expected to grow as volumes increase.Overall,the Port Capacity Project will create 1,100 direct jobs and an additional 1,900 indirect jobs.The operator for the new automotive terminal adjoining the pre-delivery inspection hub is expected to be announced in mid-2014.(126)
