Fremantle Inner Harbour (Fremantle Port) – opened in 1897 – handles 99% of WA’s seaborne container trade, contributing $445 billion in state-wide economic activity. The closest alternative port is in South Australia, approximately 2,700km away by road.
Container trade in WA is growing faster than our population. Today, Fremantle Port handles the equivalent of one container for every three to four West Australians per year.
The continued trend of increasing containerisation of imports and exports means that by 2040 this is expected to grow by around 20% per person. At the time same our population is growing, expected to reach 3.6 million by 2036.
Long term, container trade is expected to grow from approximately 857,000 containers annually today to 2.9 million annually by 2070. This means WA’s port and supply chain needs to be able to handle a significant increase in containers.
Fremantle Port has serviced WA very well for the past 100 plus years and is still functioning well today.
However, over the coming decades, Fremantle and its surrounding freight links, which run through highly urbanised areas, will face a growing number of constraints that will impact its ability to function as an efficient container supply chain, with flow-on costs for businesses and the community. The question isn’t if we need a new port, but rather when will we need it and where will we build it?
There are serious risks to delaying action. Not having port facilities ready to cope with demand could cost WA’s economy $11 billion across ten years, threaten jobs, increase consumer costs and carbon emissions and risk our position as a strategic hub in the region.
With the Kwinana Industrial Area identified as the best location for the new port precinct, Westport has been developing designs for a world-leading container port and supply chain that will serve Western Australia’s needs for the next century. Considerations have included ensuring the container port has a footprint that can expand with a growing industry, has fit-for-purpose and efficient transport links like road and rail, and reduces impacts to the community and environment.
This isn’t just about building infrastructure - it’s about future proofing WA’s economy and lifestyle for generations to come.