The State Government has entered the final stages of planning for a new container port in Kwinana.
The Government has announced it will spend $273 million on planning Westport after finalising the business case for the facility.
The case recommends a one-off transition of container trade from Fremantle to Kwinana by the late 2030s with Fremantle Port expected to reach capacity of 1.4 million containers per year by 2040.
The business case found if Westport is not built in time it would place constraints on container trade and could cost the Western Australian economy $244 billion over coming decades – an average of $5 billion per year.
"Westport will underpin WA's economy and local jobs for generations to come," Premier Roger Cook said.
"WA is a trading State, and our container port supports the entire State economy – we cannot let our only container port run out of room.
"Delaying action on Westport is a risk to our economy. Without Westport, the cost of everything will go up, and we will be reliant on road and rail from the eastern states – hurting households, businesses and the economy.
"A world-class container port in Kwinana is critical for our State to remain a global economic and industrial powerhouse, and for the future prosperity of all Western Australians."
More information about the Westport Business Case is available here.
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