Westport's Preferred Container Port Design for Western Australia

Western Australia's biggest freight infrastructure project has taken another major step forward.

Westport has unveiled the preferred design for the state's planned $7.2 billion container port, a project expected to replace Fremantle as Western Australia's primary container gateway in the late 2030s.

The proposed development centres on a new container terminal in the Kwinana Industrial Area, supported by new marine infrastructure in Cockburn Sound, a shipping channel capable of accommodating larger container vessels, upgraded road and rail freight links, and an expanded logistics network.

According to Westport, the preferred design has been developed to provide the capacity needed for Western Australia's long-term container trade while accommodating larger vessels, strengthening Kwinana's role as a major industrial and logistics hub, and minimising environmental impacts within Cockburn Sound.

The proposal includes a new port between Barter Road and Mason Road, a dedicated freight corridor along Anketell and Thomas roads, upgrades to Anketell Road, Kwinana Freeway and Roe Highway, and enhancements to the freight rail network linking the port with logistics hubs at Kenwick, Kewdale and Forrestfield. Plans also include rail duplication and the removal of level crossings to maximise the movement of freight by rail.

The preferred design follows an extensive planning process. Between 2018 and 2020, Westport assessed 25 potential port locations between Fremantle, Cockburn Sound and Bunbury before selecting Kwinana. Seven port concepts were subsequently narrowed to three through detailed environmental, operational and economic assessments before the preferred design was chosen.

According to the project's business case, continuing to rely solely on Fremantle Port would ultimately cost the state more than developing a new container port. Fremantle is forecast to reach its practical container capacity of around 1.4 million TEU per year by 2040, or earlier if trade growth accelerates. The business case estimates that failing to address these capacity constraints could cost Western Australia around $5 billion annually, or approximately $244 billion over coming decades, through increased freight costs and supply chain inefficiencies.

The Western Australian Government has committed $273 million towards the next stage of planning, including ongoing land acquisition and detailed design work, while the Federal Government has previously committed $33.5 million to support the project.

Progress is also beginning on supporting infrastructure. Westport has recently opened an expression-of-interest process for the marine infrastructure required to relocate and redevelop the ageing Kwinana Bulk Terminal, one of the first major construction packages under the broader program. The replacement terminal will support Western Australia's construction sector while integrating with the future container port development.

While the transition is not expected until the late 2030s, the announcement provides greater certainty for industry on the long-term direction of container trade in Western Australia. With planning now moving into its next phase and enabling works beginning to take shape, the project is steadily progressing from concept towards delivery.