A new $20 million international container terminal is being planned for the Port of Burnie in northwest Tasmania.
Australia's largest stevedore, DP World Australia, and the Tasmania Ports (Tasports) Corporation have agreed to develop the new facility.
The new international container terminal will be able to handle 200,000 20-foot containers a year.
It is expected to start operations in January 2017, employing 40 to 60 people and injecting $10 million into the local economy each year.
"The proposed enhancement will not only increase capacity at the port but
will provide new options for the Tasmanian import and export industry to access the world's major markets," Tasports chief executive Paul Weedon said on Thursday.
Tasports said it would work with DP World Australia to investigate supporting port infrastructure requirements including channels, berth capacity and upgrades to navigational aids and technology.
Tasports considers Burnie to be the natural gateway for container freight in and out of Tasmania.
Containerised freight can be moved to Launceston and Hobart by rail.
Development of the new terminal at Burnie depends on federal parliament passing the Coastal Shipping Act 2015, which would permit international shipping lines to carry domestic freight in containers between Australian ports.
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