Port of Geelong expansion to increase bulk mineral throughput by a third

The Port of Geelong will increase its bulk mineral and agricultural throughput capacity by approximately 35 per cent after a $120 million terminal upgrade was approved by Lascelles Ltd, the private operator of the East Geelong bulk terminal.

The upgrade will replace the terminal's existing ship-loading equipment with a higher-speed conveyor and loader system capable of loading vessels up to 65,000 deadweight tonnes — larger than the current maximum — at rates 40 per cent above the existing system. New storage sheds with a combined capacity of 180,000 tonnes will allow the terminal to receive larger grain train deliveries from western Victoria during the harvest period without vessel scheduling constraints.

The mineral sands industry, which exports significant volumes of rutile and zircon through Geelong, has been a strong advocate for the upgrade, with producers citing vessel turnaround time as a meaningful component of their export cost structure. Fertiliser importers, who rely on the East Geelong terminal for the bulk ammonium products used across the Wimmera and Mallee agricultural regions, will also benefit from the new storage capacity.

Port of Geelong chief executive Brett Winter said the private investment in the bulk terminal was a testament to the confidence exporters had in the Geelong port's geographic and infrastructure advantages over alternative Victorian ports. "This investment locks Geelong in as the bulk export gateway for regional Victoria for the next 30 years," he said.

The upgrade is expected to be complete by mid-next year, with the new equipment already on order from an overseas manufacturer.

This article was compiled by AI from the sources linked above and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.