The Maritime Union of Australia’s (MUA) Southern NSW Branch Secretary Mick Cross has welcomed the news that Port Kembla will become a significant venue for renewable energy projects.
It comes as NSW Ports proposes new infrastructure to assist the importation and installation of wind turbine machinery for offshore renewable energy projects, to satisfy future demand for hydrogen projects, and to support green steel manufacturing at the nearby Bluescope steelworks in Port Kembla.
“As the state shifts towards a greater dependency on renewable energy and the price of coal and gas-fired energy soars, the demand for affordable, sustainable and clean energy will only increase. Port Kembla’s maritime workforce has a massive role to play in that space,” Cross said.
Cross stated that the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone would attract new investment in pumped hydro, large-scale solar projects, battery storage plans, and offshore and land-based wind farms, all of which will rely on port services, infrastructure, and labour.
“It’s a massive opportunity for our sector to grow and deliver long-term, rewarding and fulfilling employment right here in the Illawarra to generations of seafarers and waterside workers,” Cross added.
The Union, however, issued a warning against a specific potential development occurring in Port Kembla, stating that the idea put forth by the former Morrison Government to base new nuclear submarines there would be incompatible with current operations, let alone any increased shipping activity brought on by renewable energy projects in the area.
“The Union’s members are excited by the economic and social opportunities on the horizon for Port Kembla in renewable energy, but we also need to ensure those opportunities aren’t blocked by the dangerous proposal to turn our harbour nuclear and build a base here for the AUKUS submarines,” Cross said.
Cross explained that the physical and regulatory changes necessary in Port Kembla to build and operate a nuclear submarine base would not only deter investors from investing in renewable energy but it would also jeopardise the status quo and all of the jobs that rely on reliable, efficient shipping through the terminals.
“The MUA wants to secure our region’s future through sustainable renewable energy projects that deliver safe, secure and rewarding jobs throughout the supply chain,” Mr Cross said. “Nuclear submarines aren’t the future we want for our harbour or the community that depends on it,” Cross added.
