The Burnie Chip Export Terminal (BCET) is a wood chip facility that facilitates international trade of wood chip product to a variety of customers.

The BCET was first commissioned in 1994 by North Forest Products and in 2001 was purchased by Gunns Ltd. In 2014 TasPorts purchased the BCET infrastructure from Receivers and Managers of Gunns Ltd with the intent of maintaining the wood chip trade through the Port of Burnie while regaining control of strategically important port land. Since TasPorts ownership there has been ongoing investment in the facility to ensure continued operation along with allowing increased throughput.

Consultant inspection reports have been prepared over the last few years identifying the deteriorating condition of integral structural components of the BCET. There is an increased risk of failure to the structures due to corrosion, compounded by the original thin steel members used in construction along with an increase in asset utilisation due to throughput in recent years. This combination has led to a reduction in strength of critical members and has resulted in repair works occurring with increased frequency. If these identified structural components are not addressed, they present a substantial risk to continued operations of the BCET.

The most significant risks in relation to the BCET are associated with structural components of the conveyor structures and the Shiploader given these components allow for storage and loading of woodchips at the facility. If either of these were impacted through failure or downtime this would significantly impact the ability to store wood chips or load them onto a vessel. Both the conveyor structure and Shiploader were designed for (respectively) 15 years and 25 years operation and as at the date of this EOI have surpassed their original design lives.

The business and project objective is a whole of life asset capital investment to bring the BCET up to modern engineering, safety and environmental standards ( while maintaining the current throughput and storage capacity with up to a 25 year design life and a clear maintenance regime. The overall life extension will ensure that no major structure replacement or overhauls are required outside of the expected maintenance programme.

TasPorts now invites capable entities to submit an expression of interest (EOI) in entering into an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) Agreement with TasPorts to progress the investigation of the BCET structures and determine long term solutions to our aging assets

It is TasPorts' intention to determine the best solution(s) in relation to the BCET structures and continue develop the design of the solution(s) with the ECI Contractor during the ECI phase. As the design develops the risks and unknown will reduce until a point where a lump sum price can be offered in accordance with a process established under the ECI Agreement to deliver the solutions under an amended AS4902 design and construct contract (D&C Contract).