Port of Geelong Port Development Strategy 2018 i Front and back cover images: katrianalawrence.com 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Since 1836 the Port of Geelong has played The port is well positioned for the next five a fundamental role in the growth and years before the next port development development of Geelong, the surrounding strategy to accommodate potential trade region and Victoria. growth. The Port Development Strategy has identified actions within that period to In 2018, the challenge in light of Geelong’s continue the development potential of the manufacturing evolution is to have a clear port. and purposeful port development strategy that supports a dynamic and changing port These include a number of constraints that and city. need to be unlocked to enable this growth to develop in an efficient and economically The 2018 Port Development Strategy is sustainable manner. under-pinned by capacity planning for trade throughput at the port. It addresses Prime considerations are: the requirements of the Port Management Act • Delivering a road network that 1995 and associated Ministerial Guidelines incentivises higher productivity including current and projected trade, vehicles on a smaller number of better land use, port infrastructure and transport connected routes infrastructure. • Ensuring shipping channels are of Geelong’s port will continue to be Victoria’s sufficient depth to meet the needs of premier dry bulk and bulk liquid hub, with major port users trade volumes increasing significantly over the next 30 years. • Promoting use of rail through enhancing and expanding the local The port is in a unique position to capture rail network this growth, given the inherent operating flexibility of its landside assets and its • Securing land for expanding port capacity to handle a significant increase trade in shipping traffic, without creating • Protecting port activities from land congestion issues. use encroachment in and around port The Port of Geelong has the capacity to environs grow and projections see growth in trade In order to create and sustain the most volume in both, inbound and outbound efficient and economically effective end- shipping. to-end supply chains required to support Continued development of all aspects of economic growth and prosperity both port operations, from shipping, loading/ regionally and for the State of Victoria, unloading to landside port access is the continued development of the Port of considered to be of utmost significance to Geelong is critical. the positive economic development of the State of Victoria. 1 Department of Transport is forecasting a threefold increase in freight traffic over the next three decades. Whilst not all of this traffic will start or end at a port, 90 per cent of the material Victoria and Australia requires to sustain our growing population is transported through a port. Clearly, strategic and considered planning to ensure that ports including the Port of Geelong are efficient and able to grow to meet demand is critical to economic prosperity. To enhance transport connections the Port Development Strategy has identified the need to enhance integrated transport planning. Cities grow around ports, as is the case in Geelong where it is vitally important that the city does not inhibit port growth and development. The port also needs to work to preserve the amenity of Geelong’s community. The Port of Geelong is well positioned to service the growing needs of all Victorians and this will happen if there is recognition of the vital role the port plays across all levels of the community, from local families and businesses to municipal, state and federal Governments. VRCA believes the 2018 Port Development Strategy identifies these many challenging issues and provides the framework for enhancing the port’s role in moving Victoria’s bulk freight. 2 Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 2. WHAT IS THE PDS AND HOW WAS IT DEVELOPED? 5 2.1 Why 5 2.2 How 5 2.3 Consultation 6 3. THE PORT TODAY 8 3.1 Economic impact 11 3.2 Assets and management 11 3.3 The Port Environs, piers and wharves 11 3.4 The existing transport network 16 3.5 Changes since 2013 20 4. THE PORT IN THE FUTURE 21 4.1 Trade possibilities identified for the port of Geelong 21 5. LAND AND PORT INFRASTRUCTURE 25 5.1 Refinery precinct land footprint and berths 26 5.2 Lascelles precinct land footprint and berths 28 5.3 Corio Quay precinct land footprint and berth 30 5.4 Bulk Grain precinct land footprint and berth 33 5.5 Point Henry precinct revival 35 6. TRANSPORT 36 6.1 Integrated transport planning 36 6.2 Road network 36 6.3 Rail network 39 6.4 Shipping channels 41 7. PORT ENVIRONS (INCLUDING INFRASTRUCTURE) 43 7.1 Land planning 43 7.2 Port footprint 45 8. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT 49 9. RECOMMENDATIONS 51 10. APPENDIX 1- PORT MANAGEMENT ACT REQUIREMENTS 52 10.1 Port Management Act requirements 52 10.2 Purpose of Port Development Strategies 52 3 4 2. WHAT IS THE PDS AND HOW WAS IT DEVELOPED? The 2018 Port Development Strategy sustainable future growth of the port, we (PDS) identifies the infrastructure and need to periodically review the port’s needs land use needs of the port to meet and adapt accordingly. potential trade demands. Its purpose, as The port cannot, does not, and should not set out in Ministerial Guidelines, is that operate in isolation from its stakeholders a port development strategy is largely and local community. concerned with capacity planning for trade throughput at the port. 2.2 How Forecast trade opportunities drive the The PDS has been undertaken to create requirement for asset improvement and an effective and agile roadmap for the development. future development of the Port, taking into It commences by looking at the current state consideration its many stakeholders and of the port, identifying its advantages and maintaining a keen focus on appropriate where constraints impact on productivity economic growth. Updating the PDS every and development potential. five years provides an opportunity to test the development path and adapt it to a The port’s potential is considered through changing world. projected trade demands over a 30 year horizon. These trades are focused on the This provides the port with the necessary port’s core trade in bulk commodities. Also resilience to work with changing examined is the freight task within the transport needs, social and environmental immediate area which strengthens the port expectations, and climate and technology as a freight hub. changes. Projected trade demand then provides The strategy is focused on the potential the basis for identification of future port for port development, its transport links, infrastructure, land requirements and land requirements, port infrastructure and transport connections. These result in associated trade. While due and appropriate actions and recommendations that provide consideration is given to community and a base for enabling growth in the port’s social impacts, the key focus of the PDS is capacity. port development. The port of Geelong’s ownership structure 2.1 Why comprises three port managers. Victorian The port of Geelong plays a vital role in the Regional Channels Authority (VRCA) as life of Geelong and the region. A bulk port, the manager of port waters, GeelongPort it is a competitive maritime hub, which and GrainCorp as the managers of their connects users and suppliers of dry, liquid respective landside assets. and break bulk cargoes with national and There are also a number of significant international markets. port users who own large parcels of land Port operators and users agree that this abutting the port. The PDS focuses on the focus for the Port of Geelong is not expected infrastructure and land needs of the port as to change dramatically, existing uses will a whole, to enable investment to occur and grow and evolve and be supplemented meet potential trade demand. by new trades. In order to support the 5 Port development strategies address the Port freight operators and tenants were requirements of the Port Management Act interviewed to understand truck sizes 1995 and associated Ministerial Guidelines. currently accessing the port and what Key requirements include current and size vehicles may be required in future projected trade, land use, port infrastructure years. There was also a review of rail and transport infrastructure. access restrictions, future rail terminals and the arrangements for third parties Development options are based around obtaining effective access to the essential understanding the current trade and what infrastructure of the port, such as the Corio future trade could develop, if the operating Grain Loop on land to the south of Corio environment and transport network Quay. provide the right connections. The assessment of infrastructure vital to Accomplishing this required reviewing the growth of the Port of Geelong has existing operations at the port, what also taken account of current and planned commodities trade now, in what quantities, road and rail infrastructure further afield. berth usage, the present freight flows to and Particular attention is given to the grain from the port by ship, rail and roads and growing areas of northern Victoria, identifying trade possibilities. southern NSW, mineral product supply Berth, channel, road and rail assets that from western NSW and other product currently define the operational capacity supply from Gippsland. of the port were examined and reviewed, with consideration of trade possibilities and 2.3 Consultation what change may be needed. Geelong’s port community does not operate This information was gathered through in isolation, a continuing dialogue occurs direct stakeholder engagement and desktop between it and a range of stakeholders literature review. with interests in the port and its environs. This continually shapes the direction and A particular focus was applied to inputs for the port’s development and understanding how port precinct tenants has underpinned the consideration of work with each other and the effects of consultation utilised by this PDS.