WESTPORT TASKFORCE —
FREMANTLE PORT CAPACITY
875. Hon TJORN SIBMA to the Minister for Ports:
I refer to the work undertaken by
the Westport Taskforce, and to evaluations made about the future capacity of Fremantle port beyond the 770 000 twenty-foot
equivalent unit containers, or TEUs, that the port recorded in 2017–18.
(1) When is it
estimated that Fremantle port will achieve a near trebling of this throughput
of 2.1 million TEUs under the various growth scenarios considered by the
Westport Taskforce?
(2) What
investments is the government making in the landside freight infrastructure
required to assist Fremantle port reach to that modest 2.1 million TEU target,
and what infrastructure has the government ruled out?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1) The Westport
Taskforce has determined that the road and rail networks servicing Fremantle
are the major constraints for the inner harbour and will reach their capacity
by the mid-2030s. This modelling assumes that a further $2.3 billion of
uncommitted and unfunded road projects are built, including the duplication of
Curtin Avenue and the widening of Stirling Highway.
(2) The McGowan
government is investing in putting more freight on rail, which has proven to be
successful in increasing the percentage of containers moved from 15.5 per cent
in the 12 months prior to the policy being introduced, to a record high of 23.7
per cent in April 2019. This investment in freight on rail is also creating an
investment multiplier in landside logistic infrastructure that will directly
assist Fremantle port.
Our government has committed to the
construction of a new Fremantle Traffic Bridge, which will provide a dedicated
freight rail path to the North Quay rail terminal. The new bridge will also
help reduce vehicle congestion on Stirling Bridge. Our government has also
committed to upgrading High Street between Stirling Highway and Carrington
Street. This will enhance the efficiency and flow of heavy vehicles to
Fremantle port.