Victorian Government News

Australia’s Victorian Government is backing a new feasibility study that could see Portland become home to one of Australia’s first green shipping fuel production hubs.Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing announced the new study for a renewable fuel manufacturing hub in the portside city, with A$500,000 invested through the Labor Government’s Portland Diversification Fund.The feasibility study will be led by Portland H2 – a subsidiary of HAMR Energy – towards establishing a plant converting plantation forestry residue to green methanol.

MMA Offshore, the provider of marine solutions and expertise to the offshore oil and gas industry, has been awarded a number of new contract awards and extensions.AGR Australia has awarded MMA a two-vessel contract supporting the Noble Tom Prosser Rig as part of the Victorian government’s CarbonNet Project, said the Australian company.The contract is expected to start late this month with a duration of about 45 days, the owner and operator of 30+ offshore supply vessels said.Esso Australia Pty Ltd has awarded MMA a three-vessel contract, also supporting the Noble Tom Prosser Rig and commencing in direct continuation of the AGR contract.

Norway-based floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) company Höegh LNG announced that its floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Höegh Esperanza has been selected by AGL Energy Limited for the Crib Point project in Victoria Australia.According to a stock exchange notice from the FSRU provider, who owns and operates a global fleet of 10 floating LNG import terminals, Höegh Esperanza has both a closed loop and an open loop system and is because of this considered by AGL to be a better fit for the operational requirements arising from the Environment Effects Statement (EES) currently been undertaken by the Victorian Government.The EES is expected to be concluded no earlier than late H1 2020.

The Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says that critical laws to maximise the value of the lease of the Port of Melbourne are set to finally pass the state parliament this week, reports The Age. The Coalition has used their numbers in the upper house to force a series of amendments to the governments proposed legislation to sell the port. Governments have been considering incentives to tempt the highest possible price from potential buyers of assets, including non-compete clauses that prevent competing infrastructure from being built in the future close to the asset being sold. The sale of the Port of Melbourne has been delayed by debate in the Victorian government over clauses that would force the government to make compensation payments to the eventual buyer if another port is developed.

Ocean energy company BioPower Systems (BPS) completed the deployment of its 250kW bioWAVE pilot demonstration unit off the coast near Port Fairy, Victoria. The $21 million project has been in development by BPS for three years, with $11 million funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and $5 million funding from the Victorian Government. BPS CEO Dr Timothy Finnigan said the usually powerful swell at this site abated enough for the installation to be completed smoothly and successfully. “Installation of the bioWAVE in the Southern Ocean marks the culmination of an intensive development phase, and the beginning of a testing and demonstration phase for bioWAVE.

DP World and the Port of Melbourne Corporation have reached an agreement on a new 50-year lease, ending months of negotiation over rental increases at Australia’s biggest port. The Port of Melbourne will forego tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue after abandoning a 750 per cent rent increase for DP World Australia and accepting price rises a tiny fraction of that amount. DP World Australia, in which the Dubai-based ports operator has a 25 per cent stake, will run the West Swanson Terminal in the Port of Melbourne up to 2065, with known fixed increments over 13 years, DP World Australia and Port of Melbourne said. The agreement clears uncertainty surrounding the $6 billion privatisation of the port and enables bidders to put a more accurate value on the port…

The Port of Melbourne Corporation has told DP World Australia that it wants to increase rent at the terminal by up by 800 per cent of the current amount, reports local media. It also comes as the Victorian government prepares the Port of Melbourne for sale. The move by the Victorian Government has sparked warnings of job cuts as well as economic damage to the state. The trucking industry fears it may have to carry much of the weight of the possible hefty rent hike. The port currently charges about $40 million dollars a year in rent to DP World and Asciano. It is understood that DP World has previously paid about $16 per square metre and the increase will take it to $120 per square metre.

The Australian State of Victoria's Minister for Ports informs that Nick Easy has been appointed as CEO of the Port of Melbourne Corporation. Port of Melbourne Corporation Chairman Mark Birrell said that the Port of Melbourne Board undertook an extensive recruitment and selection process and was very pleased to recommend Nick Easy to the Victorian Government for appointment. “The Board looks forward to Nick commencing in the role and provide strong leadership to the Corporation at this important time for the Port of Melbourne,” Mr Birrell said.