Lines call for urgent look at Port Jackson move

<p>Shipping Australia has tackled the new transport minister for New South Wales the day after his appointment on the controversial transfer of cargo handling from Port Jackson to Port Kembla. </p> <p>SAL chairman Michael Phillips said on Friday (February 17) that the group would be seeking to meet urgently Joe Tripodi to discuss the Government’s plan to close the Glebe Island car terminal by 2008. </p> <p>The shipping line group said unaddressed issues include inadequate road and rail infrastructure to handle large number of vehicle imports, and lack of berth space in Port Kembla. </p> <p>The move of some shipping lines from Darling Harbour this year and others from Glebe Island in 2008, would also discriminate between carriers, they said.</p> <p>Mr Phillips said the original Glebe Island lease expiry date of 2012 would have allowed time for all of industry and all the government departments involved to plan and implement the relocation to the Illawarra port. </p> <p>The ministers for transport, ports, roads, planning, and the minister for regional development in the Illawarra, would all need to be involved, SAL said. </p> <p>SAL met former ports minister Eric Roozendaal on the issue, but was referred to planning minister Frank Sartor. </p> <p>A joint letter to Mr Sartor from the Australasian Railway Association, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, the NSW Road Transport Association and the Sydney branch of the Maritime Union of Australia, has gone unanswered. </p> <p>Glebe Island is operated by the P&#38O and Patrick joint venture Australian Amalgamated Terminals, as is Port Kembla. </p> <br />