Forestry Product for Export from Newcastle
The growing diversity and export capability of the Port of Newcastle will see an increase in forestry product being exported from the port, CEO of Newcastle Port Corporation, Gary Webb, said today.
“Newcastle has been increasing its trade throughput for the past nine years and a licence has been granted for forestry product in the form of commercial plantation logs from Northern NSW to be exported through the port to China,” said Gary.
“About 200,000 tonnes of the product will be exported each year for the next three years which adds to the list of 40 commodities currently imported or exported through the port.”
The Port of Newcastle currently exports about 265,000 tonnes of woodchip to Japan each year. It previously imported sawn timber from North America until a change in commercial shipping routes ceased imports about five years ago.
Gary said the company undertaking the new enterprise was MTX Australia Pty Ltd which manages private and state forests to process radiata pine.
“The plantation logs will initially be stored on vacant land at Dyke Point for export through the Eastern Basin Distribution Centre from mid May,” he said.
“Dyke Point will be a temporary processing area until land at Mayfield (former BHP Steelworks site) is developed to accept forestry product for export across the new Mayfield No. 4 Berth.”
Media enquiries should be directed to Public Affairs Officer, Keith Powell, on Ph 4985 8258 or mobile 0409 304 573
