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MICHAEL STEDMAN Political reporter
July 10, 2008 12:00am
THE international shipping company moving what is believed to be one of the largest shipments of zinc from Hobart, has accused TasPorts of neglecting its port facilities.The bulk carrier Cape Preston is docked at the Hobart wharf until tonight to load 15,000 tonnes of zinc from Nyrstar. In the past zinc has been freighted from Hobart using a mix of road, rail and container ships. But cargo superintendent of the Cyprus-based Austral Asia Line, Keith Richards, said rising diesel prices and ongoing uncertainty over Tasmanian rail operations was driving a resurgence of bulk shipping. However, he said Hobart was poorly placed to handle heavy freight because of the poor state of its port facilities. He said there was deep uncertainty in shipping circles about the future of Hobart's ports in light of the State Government's plans to use the freight precinct for the new Royal Hobart Hospital. "If you look around the world everyone is upgrading their port facilities but Hobart is just letting theirs go," Mr Richards said. "They seem to be hoping they can put a set of units along here and they don't need to have a wharf." Mr Richards said the dock's container crane could no longer be used because it had not been effectively maintained. And large ships can only load and unload on Macquarie Wharf 4 because the surrounding wharves are not rated to support loads above 20 tonnes. "I have had to tell clients in the Philippines who want to bring cargo into Hobart: 'Be careful about the weight of some of the stuff because we can't unload it on the wharf'." The largest of his line's ships are no longer permitted to sail under the Tasman Bridge to load bulk zinc at Risdon because the port has downgraded its tug fleet. TasPorts executive manager marketing Charles Scarafiotti said the company was committed to maintaining a working port in Hobart. "The port's container crane was recently withdrawn from operation, but if a significant project warrants it it can be returned to operating condition," Mr Scarafiotti said. "In terms of investing in the port, the company has recently completed remediation works at Mac 4 -- about 750 square metres of concrete was removed and replaced with new reinforced concrete."
July 10, 2008 12:00am
THE international shipping company moving what is believed to be one of the largest shipments of zinc from Hobart, has accused TasPorts of neglecting its port facilities.The bulk carrier Cape Preston is docked at the Hobart wharf until tonight to load 15,000 tonnes of zinc from Nyrstar. In the past zinc has been freighted from Hobart using a mix of road, rail and container ships. But cargo superintendent of the Cyprus-based Austral Asia Line, Keith Richards, said rising diesel prices and ongoing uncertainty over Tasmanian rail operations was driving a resurgence of bulk shipping. However, he said Hobart was poorly placed to handle heavy freight because of the poor state of its port facilities. He said there was deep uncertainty in shipping circles about the future of Hobart's ports in light of the State Government's plans to use the freight precinct for the new Royal Hobart Hospital. "If you look around the world everyone is upgrading their port facilities but Hobart is just letting theirs go," Mr Richards said. "They seem to be hoping they can put a set of units along here and they don't need to have a wharf." Mr Richards said the dock's container crane could no longer be used because it had not been effectively maintained. And large ships can only load and unload on Macquarie Wharf 4 because the surrounding wharves are not rated to support loads above 20 tonnes. "I have had to tell clients in the Philippines who want to bring cargo into Hobart: 'Be careful about the weight of some of the stuff because we can't unload it on the wharf'." The largest of his line's ships are no longer permitted to sail under the Tasman Bridge to load bulk zinc at Risdon because the port has downgraded its tug fleet. TasPorts executive manager marketing Charles Scarafiotti said the company was committed to maintaining a working port in Hobart. "The port's container crane was recently withdrawn from operation, but if a significant project warrants it it can be returned to operating condition," Mr Scarafiotti said. "In terms of investing in the port, the company has recently completed remediation works at Mac 4 -- about 750 square metres of concrete was removed and replaced with new reinforced concrete."
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