NT Chief Minister Adam Giles visited the Tiwi Islands last Thursday to inspect the new facilities at Port Melville and announce a landmark Tiwi Development Framework Agreement that he said would open the door to new economic opportunity for locals.

"Once complete, the facility will export Tiwi woodchips to the world and operate as a marine supply base to offshore oil and gas projects in the region," Giles said.

"The project has already created local jobs and is just one of many examples of the types of investment opportunities on offer on the Tiwi Islands."

The port facilities will include a wharf, laydown areas, fuel storage, workshops, office facilities, wash-down facilities and a 119 person accommodation camp, with the capacity to be expanded to a 150 person facility if needed.

"The signing of the agreement between the Northern Territory government, the Tiwi Land Council, Tiwi Resources Pty Ltd and the Tiwi Aboriginal Land Trust is a historic moment for the Tiwi people, paving the way for them to enjoy the benefits of jobs and investment on their country," Giles said.

"This is a smart decision and a further step in breaking the cycle of welfare dependency. I want to commend the Tiwi Islanders on their vision.

"This agreement will give investors and banks the long-term certainty of land tenure they need in order to commit funds to projects on the Tiwi Islands."

The agreement includes the potential for up to 10,000ha of land to be leased for pastoral or agricultural purposes, 10ha for residential development, 20ha for high end tourism, industrial and aquaculture projects, as well as 10ha of township land.