Freo port plans private berth

Fremantle Ports is looking for a private sector company to develop and operate a new bulk liquids berth at Kwinana, at a likely cost of more than $100 million.

The new berth would be an extension of the Kwinana Bulk Jetty, a common-user facility that currently handles both dry and liquid bulk trades.

The port authority had previously planned a new dry bulk berth at the site, which was earmarked primarily for iron ore exports.

It has subsequently changed its plans, saying the new berth capacity will satisfy future demand for liquid commodities, including petroleum, chemicals and liquid fertilisers.

The new berth will also enable the port authority to consolidate smaller liquids berths it currently operates at the inner harbour at Fremantle and at the nearby Kwinana Bulk Terminal.

Chief executive Chris Leatt-Hayter said consolidating its common-user bulk liquid trade to a new berth would increase efficiency, safe handling and capacity.

“Fremantle Ports sees the development of a world-class, dedicated berth at the Kwinana Bulk Jetty as a key strategy in more efficiently servicing its bulk liquids common-user berth customers while providing for continuing growth in the medium to long-term,” he said.

Mr Leatt-Hayter said the port authority was progressing an amendment to the existing environmental approval to permit the use of the proposed berth for bulk liquids.

The proposed project would be the second major private sector investment at Fremantle Ports’ Kwinana facilities.

In 2011, the port authority struck a deal with iron ore miner Mineral Resources to invest $44 million upgrading the Kwinana Bulk Terminal.

MinRes currently exports about 4.4 million tonnes per annum through the upgraded facility.

The state government had recently been evaluating the sale of the Kwinana Bulk Terminal to Len Buckeridge’s private company James Point, to settle a long-running dispute over James Point’s right to build a competing port facility at Kwinana.

The deal did not proceed after the two parties were unable to negotiate an acceptable price.