There are articles and links throughout this thread concerning the multi-user port, and the fact that Rio and other major players were also in the running to help construct it. For mine, this is another major box that can be ticked.
One thing I would like to mention, as I brought up in previous analysis about infrastructure and how it would be great if the costs could be spread;
If you go through previous presentations given by the company concerning the CAPEX of the project, approximately $530m was set aside for construction of the port in the total of $3.27Bn.
Within the announcement today, it said "Recent marine surveys have allowed optimisation of the port design with total marine construction costs now estimated to be in the range of US$160 million (excludes materials handling infrastructure and utilities). This is approximately US$50 million less than the cost estimated in the pre feasibility study."
My question would be, now that all of these other companies are also financing the project (including Vinci, who will handle civil works, utilities, and infrastructure) what is this extra $370 million going towards? From what I had read, my impression was that the original $530 million for the port was if SDL was to construct the whole thing themselves. Could we be starting to see the CAPEX come down? That would be a welcomed scenario.
Following on from that, could SDL now try and work with the other participants from the port project in the area of rail infrastructure? I'm assuming the other participants will need railways running to the port also, which could open another major opportunity to decrease the CAPEX. If SDL could spread some of the rail costs (CAPEX estimate of US$1,423 million), that could be a watershed moment.
Looking forward to future releases, hopefully about off-take agreements and strategic partners. Just my thoughts.