DCN December Edition 2019

NORTHERN TERRITORY
An artist’s impression of the new ship lift to be built in Darwin
Mike Hughes,
managing
director,
Landbridge
We certainly see
improvements in
mineral deposits
and especially
in smaller
volume, higher
value products
like lithium and
copper.
Darren
Lambourn,
Port of Darwin
Mr Lambourn describes TEU throughput as “a
reflection of the NT economy”, in that it is relatively
quiet at present.
“I do see an increase over the next 18-months to
three years in [container trade] through the port which
is great,” he says.
Mr Lambourn talks about the significance of pilotage
for the Port of Darwin, being as it is a service centre.
“We are also a service provider and offshore gas
is really important for us. We need to harness that
business. When you are a service provider in the way
of pilotage, you need to make sure you keep your
customers happy.
“So that is certainly one area we focus on in the
marine side.”
AN ACTIVE ROLE
Mr Lambourn talks about helping people develop their
deposits of key commodities.
“Because we are now leased to a private business
(Landbridge), we can actually do a little bit more than
we used to do and potentially become partners in some
projects to get them over the line,” he says.
“We have a lot of really good people with great
expertise who we can actually help get these projects
over the line.
“We have a number of businesses all wrapped up
in the port – like any port in Australia has a number
of facets – and they are all important to us and we are
concentrating on each of those individual areas.
“That is what will be key. It is not about growth in
one area – it is about incremental growth in all areas.”
BREAKBULK AND COASTAL TRADES
Breakbulk and project cargo is an important trade
sector for Darwin and something upon which Mr
Lambourn is keen to expand.
“It is a big role here, it depends when it happens, the
same as with a lot of regional ports,” he says.
“So when it’s ‘on’ it’s on and it is jam-packed with
breakbulk and that cargo. At the moment it’s not
on, but as various projects come back online as they
will over the next 18-months, I will see a lot more
breakbulk through here.
“[The lull] gives us an opportunity to plan for the
next breakbulk surge and look at our land use plan.
How do we look at our land use plan and how we
can develop that land use to make it better and more
efficient?”
Darwin also plays an important role in coastal
trades, helping link small island communities such as
the Tiwi Islands and into the Gulf of Carpentaria, via
businesses such as Sea Swift.
“We work closely with some providers of that
offshore trade and we will see more of that closer
working relationship closer down the track.
“It is really important for those communities to get
produce through [the ports].”
ASIAN PICTURE
DCN asked Mr Lambourn if Port of Darwin could
take advantage of its proximity to Asia or whether its
distance from the bulk of the Australian population
rendered any advantage limited.
Mr Lambourn believes there are many benefits to
be leveraged.
“As more efficiencies happen on rail and it becomes
more cost-effective, there are huge opportunities for
the Northern Territory and Darwin,” he says, adding
that it takes only three days to sail to Indonesia.
NT government; David Sexton
36 December 2019
thedcn.com.au