About

Westport is a collaboration between 10 different State Government agencies, ensuring a joint approach to planning a new port and supply chain.

Agencies working with Westport to deliver key parts of the Program, or related initiatives and policies include:

• Department of Jobs, Science, Tourism and Innovation
• Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
• Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
• Department of Transport
• Department of Treasury 
• Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
• Fremantle Port Authority
• Infrastructure WA
• Main Roads Western Australia
• Public Transport Authority

Westport's Managing Director, Patrick Seares

Patrick Seares brings a wealth of environmental expertise and engagement experience to lead the cross-Government Westport team. He was appointed as Managing Director in February 2021.

Patrick worked for the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Office of the Environmental Protection Authority and has led significant business improvement projects during his career. These included advising on strategic governance, operational change and reform, stakeholder engagement and marine research.

Westport established in 2017 to identify the location for Perth’s future container port.

After extensive engagement and consideration of more than 20 options along the WA coastline, Kwinana was identified as the preferred location in 2020 during Phase 2.

Now in Phase 3, Westport has been considering design options and planning for options the extension of the port at Kwinana, and associated road and rail freight network.

In November 2023, we identified a preferred design for WA’s future container supply chain, which includes a new port in Kwinana supported by an upgraded road and rail freight network and logistics hub.

We will be delivering recommendations for the port and supply chain design, as well as development timings, to Government in mid-2024. 

Most goods that leave and arrive in WA come via container, making our container supply chain critical to our way of life and the success of our economy.

Planning for a new container terminal has been ongoing for a number of years, with modelling consistently showing Fremantle Port and its surrounding roads will reach capacity within the next two decades.

Kwinana has long been identified as the best location for WA’s major port. It’s already a heavy industrial area with a working port, has access to ten times more industrial land than Fremantle, and can accommodate more efficient and safer freight corridors.

The proposed port and trade network will elevate Kwinana’s capabilities as a global economic and industrial region. Relocating our port infrastructure also creates significant and exciting opportunities for Fremantle as an inner urban area.

The Future of Fremantle project follows the State Government’s proposal to relocate Fremantle’s port activities to Kwinana to meet Western Australia’s future freight needs.

The project is a rare aspirational opportunity to identify the possibilities that could be achieved through the potential future redevelopment of the Fremantle | Walyalup Inner Harbour precinct.

To find out more about the emerging vision and three scenarios, and to have your say, visit the Future of Fremantle Consultation Hub.