OCEANLINX WAVE GENERATOR TO BE REMOVED FROM PORT KEMBLA IN MID-2015

The wave generator at Port Kembla was decommissioned in 2009 and tenders will be sought for its removal after the company responsible for it, Oceanlinx, went into receivership.

Four Illawarra companies are among those interested in removing the defunct Oceanlinx wave generator off the coast of the coal-loader at Port Kembla.

The wave generator has rusted away since it was decommissioned in 2009.

The company made repeated promises that it would be removed, while also funding wave generators elsewhere.

In April last year, Oceanlinx went into receivership, owing secured creditors $7 million and investors a further $3 million.

The receivers have said the company has no money to remove the barge and suggested the responsibility would fall on the NSW government.

In December last year Roads and Maritime Services called for expressions of interest in removing and disposing of the wave generator.

The window for expressions of interest has closed and the government has released the list of tendering companies.

Of the 13 companies, four are from the Illawarra and one is from Picton.

The remainder are based in Sydney, with the exception of one tender from the Gold Coast.

T&D Metals and Demolitions at Yellow Rock, Tolco at Port Kembla, engineering consultants WGE Group at Cringila and Southern Commercial Divers from Albion Park.

The Picton-based business is Brefni Excavation and Earthmoving.

An RMS spokesman said all 13 expressions of interest were being evaluated.

"After evaluations are completed a number of the companies which expressed interest will be invited to tender for the work," the spokesman said.

"It is anticipated this tender process will start in late March."

Once a successful tender is selected, the RMS spokesman said work to remove the generator was expected to start in mid-2015.