7.2 MOVEMENT AND SOURCES OF BALLAST WATER IN VICTORIA

In 1995 the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA), and the Port Authority of Melbourne (now Victorian Channels Authority) funded the first major study of ship and ballast water movement in Victoria. Published in

TABLE 8
Summary of major trades for Victorian Ports

Port	Major Trades	Summary
Melbourne	Machinery, vehicles & parts, iron & steel, chemicals, petroleum products, dairy, fruit & vegetables, wool, textiles and miscellaneous manufactured goods.	General cargo comprises some 85% of the Port's total trade. The Port handles more than 40% of Australia's overseas container trade, making it Australia's major container and general cargo port.
Geelong	Oil & petrol, grain, fertiliser, woodchips and aluminium smelting raw materials.	Victoria's principal bulk and specialist cargo port and the main export point for bulk grain.
Hastings	Steel, crude oil and LP gas.	Victoria's major petroleum and steel port.
Portland	Alumina and smelter imports, aluminium ingot exports, woodchips, grain, livestock, drilling rig equipment and refrigerated cargoes.	Diverse range of cargo types, operating as a 24 hour trade port.

Source: Compiled using Walters, S. (1996), Ballast Water, Hull Fouling and Exotic Marine Organism Introductions via Ships - A Victorian Study, Publication 494, Environment Protection Authority (Victoria),

TABLE 9
Number of ship visits and gross import/export tonnage for Victorian ports for 1995/96

Port	Ship Visits	Import Tonnage*	Export Tonnage*
Melbourne	2767	10,043,000	7,801,000
Geelong	406	9,105,430	4,425,689
Hastings	209	933,000	4,150,000
Portland	205	968,103	2,220,451

*Figure represents mass tonnes
Source:: Pers. Comm (fax.) Geelong Port Pty. Limited, Mr R Conder., "Port of Hastings - Port of Opportunity" Brochure showing port trade and facilities produced by the Port of Hastings., Melbourne Port Corporation, Port of Melbourne Trade & Transport Review 1995/96, Data provided by Cpt Don O'Donnell, Harbour Master, Port of Portland Pty Ltd.
March 1996, Ballast Water, Hull Fouling, and Exotic Marine Organism Introductions via Ships - A Victorian Study (Walters), tabulated and described actual ballast water volumes discharged by international and domestic ships visiting Victorian ports in June and July 1995. Significantly, the study calculated ballast water discharged into respective Victorian ports using different methods of calculation than those employed in previous studies. Factors taken into account which were largely overlooked in earlier estimates of ballast water discharges were vessel type, dwt (dead weight tonnage) and loading activity. The ballasting characteristics so derived were then applied to Victorian ship visits in the year to July 1995.

The study provides data on both the quantities and sources of ballast water into Victoria as well as indicating the next Australian port of call for ships leaving Victorian ports. The study comprehensively provides the information required by the Committee to address Term of Reference (a), and the Committee notes that the study is currently the only source of such information. Accordingly, the Committee relies extensively on the study for this section of the Report.