The Western Australian Premier Roger Cook has unveiled the preferred design and location for a new container terminal in Kwinana, marking a major milestone for the project.
Westport, a State Government’s planning program to move container trade from Fremantle to Kwinana, has over the past 18 months considered 30 different design options for a new container port in Kwinana including connected freight road, rail, and logistics operations.
Fremantle Port currently imports and exports around 800,000 containers annually, but this is expected to grow to more than three million containers over the next 50 years, as Premier states.
The preferred design includes a container terminal adjacent to the shoreline of the current Kwinana Bulk Terminal with a new breakwater to provide enhanced protection to the port and docked ships.
Also it includes major upgrades to key freight roads leading to and from the new container terminal including Anketell Road, Kwinana Freeway and Roe Highway, duplication of the freight rail between the container terminal and Cockburn, as well as upgrades to key intermodal terminals (IMT) at Kenwick and Forrestfield, plus the delivery of a new IMT at Kewdale.
The design of the container terminal will allow it to cater to larger ships than the existing Fremantle terminal and incorporates redevelopment of the ageing Kwinana Bulk Terminal jetty.
The project business case, including the recommended development timings and costings for the new Kwinana container terminal is expected to be finalised in mid-2024.
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said that “This is economic infrastructure that sets our State up for the long-term. A world class port in Kwinana is critical for our State to remain a global economic and industrial powerhouse for decades to come, supporting thousands of local WA jobs.”
“Through this design, we can ensure WA can continue to meet trade demand long into the future – while strengthening our supply chain lines and improving road safety in the southern suburbs. Only our plan will futureproof WA’s container trade and economy for the next 100 years, and transform communities in Kwinana and Fremantle.”
