The Southern Ports Authority was established on the 1st of October 2014 following the merger of the Albany Port Authority, Bunbury Port Authority, and Esperance Port Authority.
The key objectives of the consolidation of Western Australia’s ports are:
- optimising use of port infrastructure; Improving investment decisions
- enhancing Corporate governance via strategic, operational and financial planning, risk management, human resources and skills management, stakeholder management, safety management and environmental management
- reducing expenditure through efficiency gains and reduced duplication of effort
- improving commercial practices and skills, acumen and capability
- ensuring better planning and coordination of port development
- identifying and actively pursuing appropriate opportunities for the private sector to invest in port infrastructure and to deliver port services
- providing consistency of port views on regulation issues
- extending economy of scale benefits for service provision
The Ports of Albany, Bunbury and Esperance continue to operate under local management, with the Executive of the Southern Ports Authority located in West Perth and Bunbury.