The Tasmanian Government’s $240 million Port of Devonport redevelopment plan has reached a new milestone with the release of new concept designs for the new berths and terminal facilities.
The Port of Devonport is one of the fastest growing ports in Tasmania and is a major gateway for tourism and trade which is why the Tasmanian Government is backing the $240 million Devonport East Redevelopment – now renamed QuayLink.
Tasmania’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Michael Ferguson said the redevelopment would deliver two new roll-on-roll-off (RORO) berths and terminals at the Port of Devonport to support the arrival of new and larger Bass Strait vessels for TT-Line and SeaRoad, as well as a multi-user berth to support future opportunities at the Port of Devonport.
The project will also see upgrades to improve navigation as well as facilitating electric vehicle charging stations, LNG ship refuelling and renewable energy shore power. Further improvements to the local amenity of the port precinct will be achieved through enhanced traffic management, landscaping and street scaping.
These port infrastructure upgrades will support the arrival of commissioned new vessels for Bass Strait operators, which will see an anticipated increase in freight capacity by 40 per cent.
Current Bass Strait operators at the Port of Devonport have committed to purchasing larger vessels within the next three years, and by 2031, expect to be handling an additional 85,000 full and empty TEUs and an additional 7,000 freight cars each year.
The project will deliver a deepened berthing pocket for the new vessels, upgrades to navigation, electric vehicle charging stations and LNG ship refuelling as well as shore power.
The project will also deliver a three-dimensional vessel port monitoring system, providing an additional layer of safety for all vessels operating in the Mersey River.
To further support community connection with the new port precinct, TasPorts is investigating the development of a new commercial precinct as part of the project. This will offer unique business opportunities for East Devonport, providing further benefits to local communities.
In 2018, TasPorts launched its Port Master Plan to guide significant investment in Tasmanian port infrastructure over a 15-year period. The initiative at the Port of Devonport is the largest package of works proposed within the Port Master Plan.
The new wharf and port facilities will result in 2,000 jobs between 2021 and 2027.
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