Consortium aims to build heavy boat lifter for Geraldton

Geraldton is famous for all things aquatic and is the closest major city to world-renowned fishing and diving site, the Abrolhos Islands.

It comes as a surprise, therefore, to learn that the Geraldton Port has supported boat-related industries without the services of a heavy boat lifter since 1998, when the port’s slipway was closed.

As a result, local vessels of more than 80 tonnes and 6.8 metres in beam have had to travel to other ports for servicing.

But this is expected to change if a local consortium of industry representatives gets its way.

The group consisting of the Geraldton Port Authority, Geraldton Fisherman’s Cooperative, and the MWDC plans to construct a new heavy boat lifter with the capacity to lift vessels up to 200t and beam of up to 10 metres.

The project cost is estimated at a little more than $3 million, of which the consortium has committed to investing $500,000. An additional $2.48 million is sought from a mixture of state and federal government grants, while the Mid West Development Commission has approved $10,000 of funding.

The consortium estimates the cost of vessels currently having to travel to Fremantle for annual servicing is about $12,000 per vessel, with most fishing operators owning three to four craft.

The land required for the project is being provided through an in-kind grant by the port authority of 1.2 hectares. This area will cater for access, work sheds and sufficient storage and a manoeuvring area.

MWDC employed the Boshe group in July 2004 to identify economic flow-on benefits of the marine-servicing precinct. Bosche reported that the new precinct would lead to the creation of up to 750 new jobs in the vessel-maintenance sector after 10 years and entice vessels to Geraldton that currently travel from the north west to Perth.