DCN December Edition 2019

40 YEARS OF PORT BOTANY
NSW Ports is prioritising on
dock rail solutions to remove
trucks from Sydney’s roads
The rich history of Port Botany
When Port Botany was commissioned on 10 December 1979, there were great
expectations about its potential. Since then, it has cemented its place as the heartbeat
of the New South Wales economy, writes Paula Wallace
SYDNEY’S PORT BOTANY OPERATES
and how these factors have changed over
meeting the state’s large bulk liquid needs,”
around the clock handling goods and
time,” she tells Daily Cargo News.
Ms Calfas says.
delivering $3.7bn to annual gross state
“Many people assume that Port Botany
product. It has been central to the
has been around much longer than 40
AN ISLAND NATION
state’s development since it commenced
years. In fact, it doesn’t seem such a
Australia is an island nation and the state
operations 40 years ago.
particularly long time for an asset that has
of NSW has the largest population in the
To mark this anniversary, the operator
become so critical to the economy and our
country. Forty years ago the port was built
of Port Botany, NSW Ports, has compiled
lives. It begs the question, how was NSW’s
to allow NSW to handle the then new
40-plus highlights covering the port’s
trade handled before Port Botany?”
form of goods transport – containers - as
history, which it will unveil as part of
The initial construction of the port
Sydney Harbour did not have the large
celebrations in December.
was a feat in itself, and involved the
expanses of land required for container
The good news, according to NSW Ports
reclamation of 260 hectares of port land,
storage and handling.
CEO Marika Calfas, is that Port Botany
access roads, and community parkland.
Botany Bay was identified as the best
still has capacity to handle forecast trade
Wharves, berths and associated facilities
choice to meet the state’s expanding port
growth and she is keen to create awareness
were constructed behind a two-kilometre
needs. It would provide berth and storage
amongst the people of NSW of the port’s
armoured embankment designed to absorb
opportunities with large flat areas of land;
role in their lives.
and dissipate large storm waves.
a deep shipping channel; and proximity to
“The arrival of Port Botany’s 40th
“It was a mammoth undertaking that
distribution areas.
anniversary has given us the opportunity to
reflect on Port Botany’s current operations,
the role the port plays in our society today
delivered a world class facility that could
handle the largest vessels calling Australia
– both at the time, and today – while also
“Port Botany is integrally linked to our
lives and our lifestyles. In fact, in a Sydney
home, 42% of all household goods have
TIMELINE
1969
NSW Government approved the
development of port facilities in Botany
Bay as a port for containers, bulk liquids
and coal. The plan also included a
channel dredged to 21 metres and the
reclamation of 670 hectares of land
stretching from Bumborah Point towards
Sydney Airport.
MARCH 1979
The first container ship arrived at Port
Botany’s ANL terminal (now operated by
Patrick Terminals). The vessel, the Hyogo
Maru, berthed at 10am on 12 March 1979
and exchanged 150 TEU.
DECEMBER 1979
NSW Ports
Port Botany’s Brotherson Dock was
formally opened, beginning a new era for
shipping in Australia.
FEBRUARY 1982
Construction of the second container
terminal at Brotherson Dock
completed. The southern terminal
on Brotherson Dock was operated by
CTAL (now DP World) and brought the
total container capacity of the port to
600,000 TEU per annum.
APRIL 1998
Port Botany became one of a number
of venues involved in the ‘Australian
waterfront dispute’.
30 December 2019
thedcn.com.au