The Tasmanian government is pouring historic funding into a new port infrastructure project in the hope of creating a tourism and freight hub in Devonport
The Tasmanian government has announced the Quaylink Project at the Port of Devonport, which represents the largest investment in port infrastructure in Tasmania in more than 25 years.
The $240 million infrastructure project at the Port of Devonport is designed to future-proof the city as a tourism and freight gateway for the next 50 years.
Tasmanian infrastructure and transport minister Michael Ferguson says QuayLink will unlock a billion dollar investment through shipping companies wanting to invest in larger and more efficient vessels to meet growth and demand.
“Three new vessels, commissioned to arrive in 2024, will increase Devonport’s freight capacity by 40 per cent, with an additional 160,000 passengers visiting via Devonport every year,” Ferguson says.
“This boost to tourism and trade is estimated to increase Gross State Product by $130 million.
“Through this project, TasPorts will deliver a real-time three-dimensional vessel port-monitoring system, renewable energy shore power for our customers and an improved port layout.”
In August 2022, a Tasmanian joint venture established by Hazell Bros Group and Brady Marine & Civil was awarded a major works contract that forms part of Project QuayLink.
Ferguson says works are well underway with 56 workers directly onsite, 88 Tasmanian businesses contracted directly and generating a local spend of $61 million, above and beyond the required two-thirds of the contract’s value to be spent with Tasmanian businesses.
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There are local expertise in crane hire, electrical, diving, reinforcing, surveying, marine, civil contractors, welding, earth moving, plumbing and waste management all pitching in together to get the job done.
With the reclaim area now fully complete, Ferguson says TT Line will start work imminently on the new three-tiered ramp to embark and disembark the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels.
“Currently the building of the new berth pocket and wharf infrastructure are progressing well with local businesses providing the aggregate for the rock bags, concrete for the on-site pour and pre-cast for the different elements of the wharf,” Ferguson says.
“TasPorts has staged the works to stimulate local supply and spend. All but the final of 51 piles are in place and four of the 61 tonne headstocks were in place by the end of October.
“TasPorts has also released its first sustainability report for QuayLink, a year-on-year assessment of sustainability measures and environmental monitoring.”
The engagement work undertaken by QuayLink assisted in the EcoPorts accreditation for the Port of Devonport.
There’s also a local community engagement with the Project QuayLink team. TasPorts has implemented a school’s engagement program with the Devonport East Primary School to inspire and educate local children.
This program provides interactive learning experiences about Tasmanian ports via the science, literacy and art curriculums. Through this program students from East Devonport Primary School have been challenged to imagine ‘boats of the future’.
As well, more than 20 TasPorts representatives with different career backgrounds have visited the school to share their knowledge and talk through career possibilities.
“In the coming months, TasPorts employees will facilitate outdoor excursions to further build the knowledge of students at the school and open their eyes to future local career opportunities,” Ferguson says.