ICTSI’s Victoria International Container Terminal at the Port of Melbourne completes Phase 3A expansion
Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT), International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI)’s operations at the Port of Melbourne in Australia and the only fully-automated container terminal in the Southern hemisphere, recently completed Phase 3A of its expansion project, according to ICTSI's release.
With the expansion of VICT, supersized ships can now sail directly into Port Phillip and dock at VICT – the only terminal in Melbourne capable of receiving them. This translates to faster turnaround times, improved efficiency, and ultimately, a competitive edge for Australian businesses.
The AUD235 million (Php8.5 billion) project is being carried out in two phases. Phase 3A, completed in December 2023, will increase the terminal’s capacity by 30 percent to 1.25 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). It extends the quay by 71 meters to 735 meters or 769 meters with the mooring dolphins included, and will enhance VICT’s quayside operations by allowing two 366-meter vessels to berth side-by-side.
On the landside, three new storage blocks have been added along with 15 new truck lanes, enhancing the terminal’s booking system time slot offerings to the market by up to 30 percent per hour starting in January 2024.
VICT also acquired two automated ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, six auto container carriers (ACC) and six auto stacking cranes (ASC) as part of Phase 3A. The ASCs have been operational since December 2023, supporting the increased yard capacity. The STS cranes, which have a reach of 22 containers across and currently the largest port equipment in Australia, arrived in the third quarter and are now operational.
Phase 3B is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and will include the acquisition of another automated STS crane, three ACCs, four ASCs, and construction of two additional storage blocks.
