The port of Port Kembla: its current significance and its potential to contribute to the development of the New South Wales economy.

The port of Port Kembla not only makes a significant contribution to the economy of the Illawarra region, but has the potential to substantially build on its current contribution.

Ports are important generators of economic activity. The most direct and obvious contribution to economic activity COmes from the operations of the port itself. The goods, services and employment required to operate the stevedoring, terminal, storage and ship control infrastructure directly add to local income and employment.

However, in terms of the total transport and distribution value added generated from sea trade, the port services component is relatively small. The majority of the economic activity generated from the trade margin comes from wholesaling and distribution, road, rail transport, and freight forwarding, custom services and other transportservices. This is because the port function is but one of the many value stages in shifting goods from producer to the consumer. In this study Peter Brain estimates the total value added margin generated by the port of Port Kembla in the trade passing through the port for the D1awarra region.

This report was prepared for the Port Kembla Port Corporation with whose consent it is reproduced, in part, here