IHD Engineering Awards submission - Fremantle Ports

FREMANTLE PORTS
Executive Summary
The Fremantle Ports Inner Harbour Deepening and Berth
Works project was completed in April 2011. The $250
million infrastructure project was achieved on budget and
within two years of the works commencing. It was one
of the biggest projects undertaken at the port since the
opening of Fremantle Harbour in 1897 and was essential to
enable the port to remain competitive.
The project involved constructing a sea wall at Rous Head
to establish a reclamation area; dredging the Inner Harbour,
entrance channel and deep water channel; reconstructing
Berth 10 and strengthening berths 4 to 9 on North Quay.
Constructed under the gaze and scrutiny of so many eyes,
the Inner Harbour Deepening and Berth Works project will
ensure Fremantle Port remains an efficient, modern working
port able to handle current and future vessel requirements
and trade needs.
Studies by transport economic specialists showed that
failure to deepen Fremantle Harbour in line with other
Australian capital city ports would have led to a loss of
major direct shipping services, with larger ships bypassing
Fremantle and travelling to the eastern seaboard.
The infrastructure works have contributed significantly
to the long-term sustainability of Fremantle Port’s Inner
Harbour as a major gateway for national and international
trade and will ensure that Western Australian business
continues to have access to major direct shipping services.
Following the deepening of the harbour and upgrading
of the existing container berths at North Quay, the port
is able to provide access for container ships which were
previously unable to load to full capacity. The reconstruction
of Berth 10, previously unsuitable for container shipping,
also provides an additional 180 metres of operational wharf
space for the port’s container trade.
Enabling the larger, more modern cargo ships to service the
port also has benefits in terms of improved efficiency in fuel
consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
2011 Engineering Excellence Awards l Infrastructure and Building Category l Page 3