Dredging inevitable

Jessica Benton
Dredging and widening of Corio Bay shipping channels is inevitable, according to authorities.
Victorian Regional Channels Authority said the work was essential for larger ships to reach Geelong’s harbour.
The city’s chamber of commerce backed “improved” channels but an environmental group said it would damage the bay.
Victorian Regional Channels Authority captain Peter McGovern said Port of Geelong required major upgrades to accommodate “next-generation” ships.
“With bigger ships on the way we need to understand how our channels will cope and how we can navigate the bigger ships safely into the port,” he said.
“At the moment, the biggest ship (that can enter Geelong’s harbour) is 124,000 tonnes but the trends continue to increase.
“It’s not about next week, it’s about the next 10 to 20 years and what the ships will look like then.”
Geelong’s port handles 12 million tonnes of bulk produce each year, such as wheat, oil, woodchips and mineral sands. The port was deepened in 1997 but has not been widened since the 1950s.
Mr McGovern said dredging would not proceed “in the immediate future”.
“I don’t like to mention the D-word (dredging) – I could get killed,” he joked.
Geelong Chamber of Commerce executive officer Lawrie Miller said channel upgrades would provide a windfall to the city’s economy.
“We fully support the deepening of the channel to provide for larger vessels because we recognise the value of the port and how many billions of dollars it brings into Geelong and the state each year,” he said.
“Improved facilities would mean extra port operations and a great value to Geelong’s economy.”
Blue Wedges Coalition’s Jenny Warfe said channel deepening and widening would be a “death warrant” for the bay. Her group fought Port of Melbourne Corporation’s controversial project to dredge Port Phillip Bay channels.
“We know that dredging is never good and there’s always going to be detrimental effects,” she said.
“We know from the situation in Melbourne that millions of toxins were dug up and moved around, so it’s likely to happen in Geelong.”