Newcastle NSW (NSW Australia)

Newcastle NSW is a major seaport and New South Wales' second most populated metro area (following Sydney) with a population of around 310,000 and total area of approx 262 km2 (101 mi2). The city's population is around 165,000.

The cruise port is located at the mouth of Hunter River, approx 160 km (100 mi) northeast of the capital city Sydney. Port Newcastle is currently the world's largest coal exporting cargo port serving Australia's Hunter Region with its large coal deposits. Newcastle Airport is approx 27 km (17 mi) north of downtown by road. The airport serves regularly scheduled domestic flights (linking to Sydney NSW, Brisbane Queensland, Melbourne Victoria, Gold Coast Queensland, Ballina NSW, Dubbo NSW, Canberra) and seasonal flights to New Zealand (Auckland). The list of low-budget airlines includes FlyPelican, Jetstar Airways, QantasLink, Virgin Australia, Regional Express. Newcastle Heliport is in Newcastle Harbour's lower section.

First named Coal River, Newcastle was officially established in 1804. The town's main industries were coal mining and timbering, while its port served mainly the coal shipping to Sydney. The town was named after Newcastle upon Tyne - England's largest coal port. In the 19th-20th-centuries, the town's economy was dominated by coal mining (1840s-1960s), copper smelting, soap production (at Southern Hemisphere's largest soap factory), steelworks (1915-99), export shipping (coal and iron ore), education (1965-founded Newcastle University), health services and tourism (arts, music, festivals, sports).

• Newcastle Art Gallery shelters one of Australia's most substantial collections of artworks by historical and contemporary Australian artists. The city has various theatres, the largest being Civic (~1500 seats).
• The 1988-founded Newcastle Museum is themed on region's history, industry, science, and culture, with permanent exhibitions relating to steel production, coal mining, local aboriginal tribes.
• Among city's best-known tourist attractions are also its numerous beaches. It is also known worldwide as a surf break destination, hosting annually (in March) the 'Surfest Newcastle Australia" - country's biggest surfing-themed festival.

Port Newcastle NSW

Port Newcastle is the largest seaport on Australia's east coast. It is also ranked the world’s largest coal export port. Annually, the cruise port contributes around AUD 26,7 million to the NSW economy. This is Hunter Valley's only gateway port. It serves the local coalfields producing high-quality thermal coal. The seaport handles approx 40% of Australia’s coal export, mainly to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

On 6 February 2018, the company CMPort ("China Merchants Port Holdings") entered into an Acquisition Agreement with Gold Newcastle Property Holding Ltd (wholly-owned subsidiary of CMU / "China Merchants Union"). CMU and Gold Newcastle agreed to sell their 50% interest in Port Newcastle (including shareholder loans AUD 162,5 million) to CMPort with a total consideration of AUD 607,5 million. The remaining 50% interest is held by TIF Investment Trus.

The acquisition is CMPort's first step to invest in Oceania and South Pacific. The company's "Port and Park" development projects (PPC / “Port-Park-City” model) aim to operate its largest port businesses as both cargo shipping and park developments.

Port's principal businesses include property investment, port and property management, port and trade development, dredging, survey, docking (wharf / berth) services, maintenance of assets, pricing for services. For FY2016, Port Newcastle reported total assets valued approx AUD 2,441 billion and net assets valued AUD 855 million. In 2016, it handled 167 million tons of bulk cargo, of which 161 million were coal export. Annually, the seaport handles approx AUD 26 billion of trade via ~4400 ship movements.

The port consists of 4 zones, with a total of 21 berths (9 of which are coal berths) with a total annual capacity 211 million tons.  it covers a total land area of 7,92 km2 (792 hectares), including 200 hectares of vacant lands (for further development).

In September 2016, the NSW Government budgeted AUD 12,7 million for building a new multi-purpose passenger terminal (Carrington Cruise Terminal), which construction started in 2018.

In June 2018 started works on the new Newcastle Bulk Terminal at Walsh Point (Kooragang Island), with scheduled completion in 2019. The AUD 33 million investment was in bulk cargo handling equipment and infrastructure developments, with principle contractor Kerman Contracting. The new Bulk Terminal was created by combining 2 Kooragang berths (2 and 3). Construction works also included the dismantling of 2x existing cranes (rail-mounted unloaders), construction of a new ship unloader crane, infrastructure upgrades (conveyors, wharf, electrical system). At the new cargo terminal are handled ships carrying fertilisers, foods, alumina (aluminium oxide), magnetite one, cement, bulk liquids.

In August 2018, the port started planning a new container terminal to boost the local economy and reduce trucks through the expanded use of the city's rail connectivity. Economic modelling showed that a container terminal will significantly benefit the city's economy by reducing freight and infrastructure costs and port congestion, boosting international shipping trade and generating local jobs.

On December 4, 2018, the South Korean company EPIK Co Ltd (specializing in LNG storage and project developments) announced its entering into an agreement with Port Newcastle to start preliminary construction works on an FSRU (floating storage and regasification unit) LNG import terminal. The company is a subsidiary of EPIK International Inc (2012-founded corporation).

• The new LNG facility (EPIK Newcastle GasDock) is within the seaport.
• The project also includes building a new FSRU (storage capacity 170,000 m3) and on-shore infrastructure. The FSRU connects to a new jetty (built on Kooragang Island's port-owned land) thus linking to the existing natural gas network.
• The ~AUD 590 million (~USD 400 M / ~EUR 360 M) project aims to secure and increase the region's gas supply and lower NSW's gas prices. Of the total investment, AUD 250 million are for onshore infrastructure developments and AUD 339 million - for the FSRU (gas storage).

In season 2018-2019, the port handled 16 cruise ships and 29,000+ passengers. For season 2019-2020, the cruise port had scheduled 15 ship calls, with estimated 30,000+ cruise tourists and maiden port visits by three liners (Explorer Dream, Sea Princess, Golden Princess).

On August 4, 2022, arrived two new mobile harbor cranes (model Liebherr LHM 550, lifting capacity 550 tonnes), delivered from Germany (Port Rostock). Both USD 28,4-million cranes were installed at the Mayfield 4 dock. For heavy lifts, the mobile harbor cranes can work in tandem - lifting 2x 20-ft or 1x 40-ft TEU-container in a single move.

Newcastle NSW cruise terminal