Australia sold the Port of Melbourne lease to a consortium including foreign investors

On 19 September 2016, the Government of the State of Victoria announced the Lonsdale Consortium as the leaseholder for the Port of Melbourne. This port is the biggest container and cargo port in the country and the lease is valid 50 years worth for A$ 9.7 billion. The Lonsdale Consortium is a consortium of domestic and global funds, backed by investors including Australia’s sovereign wealth fund, Canada’s Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System and China Investment Corp.

• Type:

  • Entry and establishment (Ownership and control)

• Industry:

  • Services (Transportation and storage)

• Sources:

  • The Victorian State Government, Leasing the Port of Melbourne, http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/Infrastructure-Delivery/Leasing-the-Port-of-Melbourne, 19 Sep 2016
  • Wall Street Journal, Port of Melbourne Leased to Lonsdale Consortium, http://www.wsj.com/articles/port-of-melbourne-leased-to-lonsdale-consortium-1474262951, 19 Sep 2016
  • Reuters, Australian port sold for $7.3 billion to consortium; China fund among backers, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-privatisation-ports-idUSKCN11P04O, 19 Sep 2016