Six of Brisbane seven named in container berth race

<p>Seven applications to occupy new terminal space at Brisbane’s expanding port, Fisherman Islands, had been made when tenders closed.</p> <p>Expressions of interest in occupancy over container berths 11 and 12 have attracted tenders from Hutchison Whampoa’s port arm, Maersk, a Macquarie Bank-led consortium, a consortium involving Queensland Investment Corporation, and a Linfox-led consortium, reports the <em>Courier Mail</em> ,.</p> <p>Port of Brisbane Corporation chief executive Jeff Coleman has previously said the tender process would be open to incumbent operators. </p> <p>Toll-owned Patrick Corp confirmed to <em>Lloyd’s List DCN </em> it had submitted a tender, making up the sixth entity vying for the new terminal space.</p> <p>DP World did not respond to <em>Lloyd’s List DCN </em> questioning before deadline.</p> <p>Construction on the berths is due to begin in November 2008, which are scheduled to begin operations between 2011 and 2013.</p> <p>PricewaterhouseCoopers will handle the evaluation process for the port corporation. </p> <p>A final decision on the successful tender would be announced in the second half of the year, Mr Coleman said.</p> <p>Last week New South Wales ports minister Joe Tripodi said he planned to speak to other state governments about strategies to give a new entrant access to a number of ports nationally.</p> <br />