PENINSULA Ports has reaffirmed the possibility of Port Spencer becoming a multi-commodity facility on the Eyre Peninsula, after announcing it had acquired 283 hectares of adjoining land earlier this month.
Peninsula Ports chief executive officer Greg Walters said purchasing the land immediately to the north would allow for potential future development at the site, to include the export of multiple commodities, such as hydrogen and graphite, alongside grain.
"We are able to deliver the current port with the land that we've got, but we saw this as an opportunity to expand in the future and pick up additional commodities," he said.
"The ability of Port Spencer to become a multi-commodity, multi-user would increase SA's export capacity to key markets and provide a significant economic boost to the region creating more local jobs."
Mr Walters said while the company awaited approval for other commodities, it would provide a competitive $230-million grain export terminal.
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This development comes after the state government last month released its Hydrogen Export Prospectus, which identified Port Spencer as a potential site to export between 60,000 tonnes and 250,000t of hydrogen a year.
Other identified locations included Port Bonython, Port Adelaide and nearby Cape Hardy.
Peninsula Ports is having discussions with other parties about other commodities that could be shipped out of the port, pending completion of approval processes.
Mr Walters said one commodity that would not be shipped out of Port Spencer would be iron ore, due to the contamination risk for grain and was in line with the Public Environmental Report amendment.
Deployment to the site for works was expected to begin by early next year.
"The supplementary approval process of the detailed design has taken longer than expected...but we recognise the importance that all stakeholders are engaged in the process," Mr Walters said.
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