FLINDERS Port Holdings has announced it is to invest $350 million in the Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal (FACT), along with a further $40m to upgrade plant during the next two years.
The investment, which marks the most significant spend at FPH’s Port Adelaide facilities since it purchased FACT in 2012, marks the beginning of FPH’s GatewaySA Program of Works.
FACT has been the only container terminal in South Australia since it opened in 1978.
The GatewaySA Program of Works includes:
The GatewaySA program of works is seen as an opportunity to address changes within the port ecosystem including demographical, technological and sustainability drivers.
FPH chief executive Stewart Lammin said the GatewaySA Program of Works would prepare the terminal for future demands.
“The FPH long-term Masterplan identified a need to perform a detailed assessment of the future operations for FACT,” Mr Lammin said.
“As South Australia’s international trade gateway, we are committed to ensuring its long-term viability.”
FACT is to remain operation throughout the program of works.
“Communication, collaboration, careful staging and planning of these works will be key success factors,” Mr Lammin said.
“The GatewaySA Team has established regular and consistent engagement with the teams at the terminal.”
FPH has in recent weeks signed contracts for the procurement of the two new STS Cranes, the construction partner for the Berth 6 extension and the vendor for the terminal operating system (TOS).
The additional STS cranes are to be the largest 65-tonne twin lift STS cranes in Australia.
The total investment, including associated infrastructure upgrades, is to be $60m, and the cranes are expected to arrive on-site, fully assembled in mid-2027.
GatewaySA has engaged McConnell Dowell to deliver the extension of the quay-line at FACT.
Vessel operations are to continue throughout the 18-month construction timeline.
With the purchase of the two additional STS Cranes, plus the berth extension, FACT is to be able to service two 366-metre vessels simultaneously.
“This increased capacity will instil confidence for our shipping line customers and enable the terminal to handle the largest container vessels currently calling Australian ports, but also larger container vessels that will call in the future,” Mr Lammin said.
FPH has awarded the tender for its TOS—a software system that manages and optimises the movement of storage containers within a terminal—to Tata Consultancy Services.
The upgraded TOS is to perform vessel and yard planning, container tracking, resource allocation, data management and analytics.
Development works have also begun on land next to the terminal, doubling the capacity of the empty container depot.
According to FACT, the empty container depot is “an important link” in the logistics chain and this expansion is expected to improve service levels for shipping lines, logistics providers, transport companies and other stakeholders.
Other projects within the GatewaySA Program of Works are said to be in the final stages of design works, with pricing, site investigations and enabling works underway.
Along with the FACT program of works, FPH has invested $40m to upgrade plant, including 14 hybrid straddle carriers during the past three years.
During the past 12 months, FPH has also bought three reach stackers and three empty container handlers.