The Federal Government has announced it will invest over $22 million to boost Tasmania’s freight capacity in the north of the state and improve the skills base of the state’s maritime workforce.

“Tasmania has great opportunities to export its high quality produce and products to growing markets across our region. Demand for premium Tasmanian products in key sectors like cheese, wine, cherries and minerals is growing as Asian markets are transformed by the growth of the world's largest middle class,” Federal Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Anthony Albanese said.

Under the scheme, the Federal Government will invest in:

  • $5.2 million towards a new $8 million intermodal freight terminal at Bell Bay, to facilitate the movement of Tasmania's logging and other bulk freight, with the Tasmanian Government contributing $2.7 million
  • Almost $12 million over four years in additional funding for the Australian Maritime College (AMC) at the University of Tasmania which will allow the College to deliver specialised training to over 500 maritime students 
  • $5 million to assist the Australian shipping industry meet its future workforce training needs as part of the government's shipping reforms. 

Bell Bay is home to the largest heavy industrial precinct in Tasmania and with direct monthly exports to Asia reopening earlier this year, the funding to facilitate this growth is timely.

The new intermodal freight terminal will make freight movements in and out of Bell Bay more efficient and generate broader economic benefits.

“Funding for the AMC—the nation's most pre-eminent maritime training institution—will help rebuild the Australian shipping fleet and the skills base needed to keep the industry growing and prospering into the future,” Mr Albanese said.