Planning approval has been given for the $1.6bn Port Capacity Project at Melbourne, Planning Minister Matthew Guy confirmed today. He explained: “The Port Capacity Project demonstrates the Coalition Government’s commitment to ensuring the Port of Melbourne remains Australia’s leading container, automotive and general cargo port.”

The scheme promises to create 1,100 direct jobs and 1,900 indirect jobs for Victoria, with substantial long-term economic benefits for the region. The intention behind the project is to enable the Port of Melbourne to meet increasing trade demand and ‘protect the economic future of Australia’s premier freight gateway’.

This includes Webb Dock resuming operations as a container handling terminal capable of processing the equivalent of 1 million containers each year, expansion at Swanson Dock, and a series of traffic management initiatives. A landscaped buffer and noise walls will be put in place to reduce the impact of construction on surrounding communities.