Port of Melbourne increases world ranking as container trade reaches record levels
Sustained trade growth has lifted Port of Melbourne’s status among the world’s top container ports, cementing its position as the “premier” Australian port, according to the Victorian Government.
Premier John Brumby has used latest international container port rankings in Container Management magazine to talk up Port of Melbourne’s prospects while taking a swipe at other Australian ports.
“Melbourne has reaffirmed its position as Australia’s premier container port and a key economic asset of the State,” Brumby says.
“The top 50 ranking shows Melbourne is a world-class operation ahead of Sydney, ranked 70, and Brisbane, ranked 100.”
Container throughput broke the 2 million mark in 2007, pushing the Port of Melbourne’s ranking up four places. It also continued 17 years’ of growth, with total container throughput growing 7.8 percent this financial year.
The result means the port has achieved 17 years of consecutive growth as total container throughput grew 7.8 percent last financial year.
“Melbourne’s top 50 ranking comes after becoming the first port in Australia to reach the 2 million container milestone in 2007,” Brumby says.
“Overall, the port handles around 36 percent of the nation’s container trade, which amounts to around 6500 containers on average each day.”
Although Port Botany handles more containers than its Victorian counterpart, Minister for Roads and Ports Tim Pallas says the Port of Melbourne is primed to grow. He says the channel deepening project designed to accommodate larger vessels is 20 percent complete.
This, he says, will be complemented by a constant rail freight line into the port designed to maintain Port of Melbourne’s position in nationally and internationally.
“The Dynon Port Rail Link Project will ensure 24 hour, uninterrupted rail access to the Port, increasing the amount of freight that can be carried directly to the port,” Pallas says.