Soybean Facility For Port

Illawarra Mercury

Friday June 6, 2008

By ALEX ARNOLD

PLANS have been lodged for a $220 million soybean processing and biodiesel production facility at Port Kembla that will create 235 direct jobs and 725 indirect jobs.

In an environmental assessment submitted to the NSW Department of Planning, National Biodiesel Pty Ltd (NB) estimates that when complete the new facility would provide more than 800,000 tonnes of domestically produced soybean meal and supply approximately 288 million litres of biodiesel to the domestic market.

"It has been forecast that the proposed facility will increase trade through Port Kembla in excess of $US700 million ($730 million) per annum alone," the assessment states.

NB, a privately owned Australian company, said the location and "the infancy of the technology in Australia" would see the facility become a significant regional asset.

NB is proposing to build the facility on land made available by GrainCorp, NSW Maritime and the Port Kembla Port Corporation.

Upgrade works will be carried out on berth 104 and on a number of silos located on the GrainCorp site to facilitate the project.

The report states the availability of biodiesel in Australia is limited due to the small number of active operators.

In the past, operators have faced problems with the supply of product used in the production of biodiesel.

NB's quality assurance manager Jaco Vosloo said Port Kembla was chosen for its deep water berth as the facility would initially rely on imported soybean.

Mr Vosloo said the biodiesel and soybean sides of the operation would be treated with equal importance.

"The term biodiesel always attracts attention for its environmental benefits," Mr Vosloo said.

"But with soybean meal used in so many animal feed products and the price of commodities rising, it is important to ensure a local supply."

The facility would help foster a domestic soybean industry.

Port Kembla Port Corporation CEO Dom Figliomeni said the corporation had worked closely with the proponents.

"It is an exciting project that creates many employment and economic opportunities for the region," he said.

SOYBEANS IN AUSTRALIA

The CSIRO says soybeans could be grown more extensively in Australia to take greater advantage of international markets.

? In southern Australia soybeans are grown in rotation with rice or other irrigated crops and are primarily used to make tofu, soymilk or soy flour.

? From northern NSW to southern Queensland soybean is grown in rotation with cotton in inland regions and on the coast with cattle or sugar cane. It is crushed for oil and protein meal or used for soy flour.

? In the tropics, soybean has an expanding role in rotation with sugar cane either as a grain crop or a green manure crop that is ploughed into the ground, returning nitrogen and organic matter to soil.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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