Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne)
{{Short description|Government authority in Melbourne, Victoria}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name = Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne)
| type = authority
| agency_type = Statutory authority
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| formed = {{Start date and age|2016|11|01|df=y}}
| preceding1 = Port of Melbourne Corporation (as regulator)
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| dissolved = {{End date|2021|06|30|df=y}}
| superseding1 = Ports Victoria
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| jurisdiction =
| headquarters = 530 Collins St
Melbourne
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| employees = 59 {{small|(June 2018)}}
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| minister1_name = Melissa Horne
| minister1_pfo = Minister for Ports and Freight
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| chief1_name = Rachel Johnson
| chief1_position = CEO
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| parent_department = Department of Transport
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| keydocument1 = Transport Integration Act 2010
| website = {{URL|vicports.vic.gov.au}}
| agency_id = {{PROV agency|5216}}
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| footnotes = {{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.vicports.vic.gov.au/about-us/Pages/about-us.aspx|website=Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne)|accessdate=7 December 2017|language=en-AU}}{{cite web|title=Governance|url=https://transport.vic.gov.au/about/governance/|website=Transport for Victoria|accessdate=7 December 2017|language=en}}{{cite web|title=Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne)|url=https://www.prov.vic.gov.au/search_journey/select?keywords=victorian%20ports%20corporation%20melbourne|website=Agencies|publisher=Public Records Office Victoria|accessdate=7 December 2017|language=en}}{{sfn|Annual Report|2017|p=115}}
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The Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) (VPCM) is a statutory authority of the Government of Victoria created to succeed the Port of Melbourne Corporation as the government regulator of shipping in Port Phillip Bay after the lease of the Port of Melbourne in 2016. In 2021, it was merged with the Victorian Regional Channels Authority into a new agency, Ports Victoria.
History
In mid-2015, the government of Premier Daniel Andrews announced that the Port of Melbourne would be leased to a private operator, in order to fund a program of level crossing removals, with the government remaining the landowner.{{cite news|last1=Preiss|first1=Benjamin|last2=Gordon|first2=Josh|title=Port of Melbourne up for 50-year lease to pay for level crossings|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/port-of-melbourne-up-for-50year-lease-to-pay-for-level-crossings-20150527-ghaig5.html|accessdate=7 December 2017|work=The Age|date=27 May 2015}}
In August 2016, with negotiations on the lease underway, the Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) was introduced as the agency which would perform the government's remaining functions in the operation of the port, including management of the shipping channels in Port Phillip Bay, waterside emergency services, and the operation of the Station Pier facility for cruise shipping. The government appointed Rachel Johnson, formerly of Transport for NSW as the VPCM's inaugural chief executive officer and announced that she would report to the Port of Melbourne Corporation until it was privatised.{{cite web|title=Inaugural Chief For Victorian Ports Corporation|url=https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/inaugural-chief-for-victorian-ports-corporation/|website=Premier of Victoria|accessdate=7 December 2017|date=16 August 2016}}{{cite news|title=New Chief of Victorian Ports Corporation announced|url=http://www.primemovermag.com.au/news/article/new-chief-of-victorian-ports-corporation-announced|accessdate=7 December 2017|work=Prime Mover Magazine|date=18 August 2016}} On 19 September, the government finalised the 50-year lease of the port to a corporation comprising the Queensland Investment Corporation, the Future Fund of the Australian government, the Canadian firm OMERS and the United States fund manager Global Infrastructure Partners for an upfront payment of {{currency|9.7 billion|AUD}}.{{cite news|last1=Gordon|first1=Josh|last2=Willingham|first2=Richard|title=Labor secures $9.7b Port of Melbourne windfall, but claims federal funds fall short|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/port-of-melbourne-sale-hands-labor-a-97-billion-windfall-20160919-grjbfr.html|accessdate=7 December 2017|work=The Age|date=19 September 2016}}
Minister for Ports Luke Donnellan announced the appointment of a board of directors on 3 November 2016.{{cite news|last1=Cella|first1=Lauren|title=Victorian Ports Corporation's new board {{!}} Infrastructure Magazine|url=https://infrastructuremagazine.com.au/2016/11/04/victorian-ports-corporations-new-board/|accessdate=7 December 2017|work=Infrastructure Magazine|date=4 November 2016}}
With the establishment of Transport for Victoria in mid-2017, VPCM became one of its subsidiary agencies.{{sfn|Annual Report|2017|p=9}} In May 2017, after the release of a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau into the breakaway of the Spirit of Tasmania II from its moorings at Station Pier, the VPCM announced a new weather warnings service on its traffic management radio channel.{{cite news|last1=Kempton|first1=Helen|title=ATSB releases report into breakaway of Spirit of Tasmania II at Melbourne's Station Pier|url=http://www.themercury.com.au/news/atsb-releases-report-into-breakaway-of-spirt-of-tasmania-ii-at-melbournes-station-pier/news-story/f026d2e3436fc33756494cde7dfcc038|accessdate=7 December 2017|work=The Mercury|date=11 May 2017|language=en}}
The role of VPCM was examined by a review of the Victorian port system in 2020. In March 2021, the state government announced that VPCM would be merged with the Victorian Regional Channels Authority into a new agency, Ports Victoria, to provide channel management and regulatory services across all Victoria's commercial ports.{{cite book |title=Independent Review of the Victorian Ports System: Initial Government Response |date=February 2, 0201 |publisher=Department of Transport |url=https://transport.vic.gov.au/-/media/tfv-documents/establishing-ports-victoria.pdf |access-date=13 April 2021}}
Operations
The VPCM is required to promote and market the Port of Melbourne, in addition to its function as the regulator and provider of navigation services within the port.{{sfn|Annual Report|2017|pp=12–13}} This role includes the employment of a Harbourmaster to oversee port operations,{{sfn|Annual Report|2017|p=9}} and the engagement of other maritime contractors.
References
= Footnotes =
{{reflist}}
= Bibliography =
- {{cite book|title=Annual Report 2016–17|date=29 August 2017|publisher=Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne)|url=http://www.vicports.vic.gov.au/publications/Documents/annual-report-2017-vpcm.pdf|ref={{sfnref|Annual Report|2017}}}}
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{{succession box|after=Incumbent|title=Port of Melbourne regulation|before=Port of Melbourne Corporation| years=2016–}}
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Category:2016 establishments in Australia
Category:Government agencies of Victoria (state)