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January 30, 2008 - 5:26AM
The head of shipping company ANL says the controversial $1 billion Port Phillip Bay dredging plan should not include the mouth of the Yarra River.
ANL chief executive Chris Lines told Fairfax newspapers on Wednesday toxic sediment in the Yarra should not be dredged, and called on the Victorian government to extend Webb Dock, just east of the river mouth.
Mr Lines said he supported channel deepening but expanding Webb Dock would eliminate the need to remove four million tonnes of toxic sediment from the Yarra, which Fairfax newspapers said was the riskiest and most contentious parts of the project.
"I don't know why they don't bring forward the plan to develop Webb Dock. It would be very sensible," Mr Lines said.
"If you look around internationally there are very few river ports left.
"My personal point of view is that the best way forward would have been to shift the international trade to Webb and bring the smaller ships up the river to Swanson (Dock) so you don't have to disturb the sediment."
Mr Lines' comments come as the Blue Wedges protest group returns to the Federal Court on Wednesday in a bid to stop the controversial $1 billion dredging project two days ahead of its scheduled start on February 1.
In a last-ditch bid, they will file an application for commonwealth approval of the project to be overturned.
A similar Federal Court challenge failed two weeks ago.
A giant dredging vessel, The Queen of The Netherlands, arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday but dredging cannot begin until the Port of Melbourne Corporation gets final approval from federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who is yet to sign a crucial environmental management plan.
© 2008 AAP
The head of shipping company ANL says the controversial $1 billion Port Phillip Bay dredging plan should not include the mouth of the Yarra River.
ANL chief executive Chris Lines told Fairfax newspapers on Wednesday toxic sediment in the Yarra should not be dredged, and called on the Victorian government to extend Webb Dock, just east of the river mouth.
Mr Lines said he supported channel deepening but expanding Webb Dock would eliminate the need to remove four million tonnes of toxic sediment from the Yarra, which Fairfax newspapers said was the riskiest and most contentious parts of the project.
"I don't know why they don't bring forward the plan to develop Webb Dock. It would be very sensible," Mr Lines said.
"If you look around internationally there are very few river ports left.
"My personal point of view is that the best way forward would have been to shift the international trade to Webb and bring the smaller ships up the river to Swanson (Dock) so you don't have to disturb the sediment."
Mr Lines' comments come as the Blue Wedges protest group returns to the Federal Court on Wednesday in a bid to stop the controversial $1 billion dredging project two days ahead of its scheduled start on February 1.
In a last-ditch bid, they will file an application for commonwealth approval of the project to be overturned.
A similar Federal Court challenge failed two weeks ago.
A giant dredging vessel, The Queen of The Netherlands, arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday but dredging cannot begin until the Port of Melbourne Corporation gets final approval from federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who is yet to sign a crucial environmental management plan.
© 2008 AAP
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