Council Considers Taking Over Port Of Karumba
The Carpentaria Shire Council says it would consider operating the Port of Karumba if a mining company committed to exporting from it for at least 10 years.
The councilís proposal to operate it, has been welcomed by Premier Campbell Newman.
Mayor Fred Pascoe said the council considered ownership of the port because current operators Ports North were too ìEast Coast centricî.
The revenue generated from the port which included significant payment fees from MMGís Century Mine was being put into ports such as Cairns.
Premier Campbell Newman asked if the council would consider taking control after hearing the councilís concerns last year, Mr Pascoe said.
But the council recently decided it could not afford operations of the port considering MMGís intention to close down Century Mine next year.
ìIt creates an uncertainty on getting revenue,î Mr Pascoe said.
ìIf another mine committed 10 to 15 years we would have grabbed it in a flash.î
The council hoped instead to have a representative on the Ports North Board, as they were ìall east coast personnel.î
Mr Pascoe said he would like to ìrevisit the issueî if the portís future security improved.
He said there was much potential in the port as it was the only one between Townsville and Darwin that could be accessed on a sealed road, and it could operate 365 days of the year.
ìThereís a myth it [the port] closes down in the wet season, itís not the case at all.î
Mr Pascoe said the port could benefit the local industry, especially for smaller mines that could not send ore on the Mount Isa to Townsville railway, as it was heavily used by Glencore and BHP Billiton. The Port of Karumba could avoid the Great Barrier Reef and travel directly to China and India, he said.
The port could also import products such as fertiliser and fuel.
A proposed railway line from Cloncurry to Karumba would be the ìgame changerî to spark further development of the port, Mr Pascoe said.
He said it would cost a lot of money but it would be feasible, especially considering how much it would develop the region.
ìWhether it happens in my lifetime or not itís going to happen,î the mayor said
