A NORTHERN industry group has criticised calls for Burnie to be named Tasmania's principal container port, leaving Bell Bay to deal with bulk freight.
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The recommendation was made by the Freight Logistics Advisory Council, which formally released its final report yesterday.
Tasmanian Exporter Group spokesman Bob Gozzi said the proposed single-port strategy underestimated the rate of container growth, and that focusing on Burnie would see Tasmania reach capacity in just over a decade.
The report, compiled by a 20-member expert panel, says Burnie has the capacity for 750,000 containers a year and would be able to meet demand for the next 30 years.
Mr Gozzi said the government should look at a two-port strategy, include Bell Bay in future growth plans and put some money on the table to encourage the return of an international shipping service.
``Bell Bay has been left to one side in favour of Burnie,'' Mr Gozzi said.
Freight Logistics Co-ordination Team chairman Phil Clark said Tasmania needed to put aside parochialism to resolve freight issues.
``There has been a very strong lobby in the North that Bell Bay has to become a container port,'' Mr Clark said. ``It might make sense as a container port for exports, it doesn't make sense as a container port across Bass Strait.''
The state government said it was considering all 25 recommendations and had already accepted eight, including developing a freight strategy by June, $1.25 million in assistance for small to medium sized exporters, working with the Victorian government to lower port costs, and securing a preferred international shipper by early next year. Other recommendations include establishing an ongoing freight advisory body and considering the sale of state-owned infrastructure assets.
Mr O'Byrne said the report showed that the opposition's promise of $11 million a year for three years to attract an international shipper was unnecessary.
However, opposition infrastructure spokesman Rene Hidding said the $11 million figure was selected because ``that's what the shipping company told us would be required'' to service Tasmania.