Port Botany Project Handed Over To Hutchison Port Holdings

News Release Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) August 1, 2011

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One of the most ambitious port expansion projects in
Australia’s history is now just months away from completion. 
 
NSW Ports Minister Duncan Gay today handed over the site of
Sydney Ports Corporation’s $1 billion Port Botany Expansion project third
container terminal to Hutchison Port Holdings for operator works. 
 
“I am pleased to hand over the site of this major project to
its operator Hutchison Port Holdings, who I understand will have the first
berths here operational in early 2013,” Mr Gay said today.
 
“Port Botany is this state’s premier container port and the $1
billion Port Botany Container Terminal Expansion will double the handling
capacity at the current port to meet the projected long-term trade growth for
Sydney and NSW. 
 
“This project is a massive investment in the future of the NSW
economy. It is one of the most extensive and innovative port infrastructure
projects to be undertaken in Australia in the last 30 years,” the Minister said.

 
Raymond Law, Managing Director, Australasia and North Asia of HPH said: “We are pleased to receive
the site from the Sydney Ports Corporation. HPH will equip the terminal with the
latest technology and modern facilities in preparation for the opening in 2013.
Australia’s growing trade with Asia makes it a major market for HPH, and the
port will play an important role in facilitating that trade.” 
 
Mr Gay added, “We expect that the implementation of the third
container terminal will create 9,000 new jobs and boost the State’s economy by
$16 billion over the next 20 years.” 
 
The Minister said that Port Botany handled a third of
Australia’s container traffic and generated $1.5 billion a year in economic
activity. 
 
“This expansion has real impacts for the people of Sydney, with
85% of trade through the port going to a home, office or factory within 40
kilometres of Port Botany.” 
 
The Port Botany Expansion
project has established five new shipping berths along a new 1.85 kilometre
wharf, created dedicated road and rail access to the port and rehabilitated the
estuarine environment in Botany Bay. 
 
The HPH network of port operations comprises 308 berths in 51
ports, spanning 25 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe,
the Americas and Australasia. 
 
The Chairman of Sydney Ports Corporation, Bryan Smith, said the
third terminal would increase competition in the sector with the two existing
stevedores at Port Botany.
 
“Our economy needs world class facilities and international
operators to be competitive in global trade. 
 
“Sharper competition will benefit NSW businesses and residents
by reducing cargo handling charges for goods that come through the port,” Mr
Smith said. 
 
Mr Smith said that the project had passed its first two annual
compulsory environmental audits, exceeding all compliance requirements and
winning an unqualified endorsement for a raft of environmental management
initiatives. 
 
“This tick of approval shows significant construction progress
has been achieved without any major impact on the local environment,” he said.

 
The Minister said that the expansion project was a major step
forward in the Government’s determination to provide a commercially-focused
efficient logistics chain. 
 
“This Government is investing in providing the infrastructure
and services that importers and exporters need to meet long term trade growth
through the state’s leading container port,” Mr Gay said. 
 
Contact: Lance
Northey 0467 743 192 Emma Logan 0467 741 049 
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