PARTS of western and north-western New South Wales would stand to make substantial savings by moving their shipping containers via a future Newcastle container terminal, a roundtable in Dubbo has heard.
The event was organised by Port of Newcastle and Dubbo Regional Council and attracted about 40 local government and industry representative including from the logistics, agriculture, meat, food production, fuels and mining sectors.
Port of Newcastle also provided an update on a $1.8bn container terminal able to handle larger and more efficient ships.
Port of Newcastle chief executive Craig Carmody talked of making the state’s trade dependent businesses more internationally-competitive.
“Regional NSW businesses, whether based in Dubbo, Parkes, Cobar, Bogan, Bourke, Narromine, Warren, Gilgandra, Coonamble or Coonabarabran, pay the cost of supply chain inefficiency that is largely outside of their control because there is currently no competition,” Mr Carmody said.
“Today’s discussions certainly helped reaffirm the significant economic and productivity opportunities available to internationally-trading businesses throughout the state,” he said.
“The Newcastle Container Terminal will mean more jobs in regional NSW, a reduction in unnecessary road and rail movements, and cheaper freight costs for importers and exporters across the state.”
In a report commissioned last year, Deloitte Access Economics found last year the Port’s catchment area already generates 500,000 full TEU a year – the number that could bypass congested Sydney.
Mr Carmody said it was great to see regional NSW taking control of its supply chain to get a better deal.
