AGY-529 | Sydney Ports Corporation

Full description

The Sydney Ports Corporation was established by the Ports Corporatisation and Waterways Management Act, 1995 (Act No.13, 1995) on 1 July 1995. (1) The new Corporation, was managed as a commercial business, under the terms of the State Owned Corporations Amendment Act, 1995 (Act No.32, 1995). The purpose of this change in the administration of the ports, was to separate "the commercial port operations in the State of New South Wales from the policy and regulatory aspects." (2)

The functions of the Corporation included the management of the Port Operating Safety Licence, including navigation services, surveying and oversight of pilotage contract, project management, environmental management and the operation of the Central Booking Office. The Corporation provided the following services for shipping customers emergency response and pollution control, dangerous goods auditing, security, plant hire, and provision of berth services for common-user facilities. The agency carried out a number of commercial operations which included trade development, market research and analysis, logistics research and analysis, port property leasing and management, customer and corporate communications. (3)

From 1 July 2009 when the Ministry of Transport was abolished the Sydney Ports Corporation became a branch of the new Principal Department, the Department of Transport and Infrastructure. (4) The name of this department was changed to Transport NSW from 1 July 2010. (5)

From 4 April 2011 when the name of Transport NSW was changed the Sydney Ports Corporation became a branch of the Department of Transport. (6)

In 2013, Sydney and Port Kembla Port Corporations amalgamated into the Newcastle Port Corporation under the Ports Assets (Authorised Transactions) Amendment Act 2013 No 52 (7) and, on 1 July 2014, began operating as the Port Authority of New South Wales with responsibility for the ports of Yamba on the Clarence River; Newcastle; Sydney Harbour and Port Botany; Port Kembla and Eden. (8)

On 1 September 2016, the Sydney Ports Corporation was formally dissolved. (9)

Endnotes
1. New South Wales Government Gazette No.79, 30 June 1995, p.3435
2. Annual Report of the Office of Marine Safety and Port Strategy and the Marine Ministerial Holding Corporation, year ended 30 June 1996, p.4
3. Sydney Ports Corporation Report for the year ended 30 June, 1988 pp.2-3
4. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009 (2009 No 352) cls. 34; notified on NSW Legislation website, 27 July 2009.
5. Transport Administration Amendment Act 2010 (Act No.31, 2010) Sch. 1.2 [1] amending the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 (Act No.43, 2002) Sch. 1; Commencement Proclamation (2010 No 294); notified on NSW Legislation website, 25 June 2010.
6. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departments) Order 2011 (2011 No 184) cls. 44; notified on NSW Legislation website, 3 April 2011.
7. Ports Assets (Authorised Transactions) Amendment Act 2013 (No. 52, 2013), Section 2.
8. Port Authority of New South Wales, Annual Report 2014-2015, p.11
9. Ports Assets (Authorised Transactions) (Dissolution of Port Corporations) Proclamation 2016, NSW Legislation website, 17 August 2016.