PENINSULA Ports has acquired an additional 283 hectares of land adjoining its current site at Port Spencer in South Australia.

Peninsula Ports is now in discussion with parties about other possible commodities to sit alongside the approved $230m port.

Peninsula Ports has ruled out iron ore for the site with the risk of grain contamination considered to be too great.

Earlier this year, Peninsula Ports received a Public Environmental Report amendment, which removed the storage and export of iron ore from the project and allowed for the potential of other more suitable commodities to be managed alongside grain at the port.

Importantly, the newly acquired land will now provide the ability to separate commodities and loading to ensure quality products and international certification of the port. The port’s existing jetty design already allows for independent and separate loading of ships and different commodities.

The announcement follows last month’s release of South Australian government’s Hydrogen Export Prospectus which identified Port Spencer as a potential site for a greenfield port to export between 60,000 and 250,000 tonnes per annum of green hydrogen from the region.

Peninsula Ports CEO Greg Walters said the acquisition of the additional land at Port Spencer was “a potential game-changer for the project, the region and the state”.

“The ability of Port Spencer to become a multi-commodity, multi-user port would increase South Australia’s export capacity to key markets and provide a significant economic boost to the region creating more local jobs,” Mr Walters said.

“Accommodating additional commodities at Port Spencer will help attract new investment into the Eyre Peninsula, support diversification of the local economy and long-term growth of the region.”