Civil works to remediate two berths at Esperance and Albany are underway with engineering firm Freyssinet charged with conducting the works over the next three years.
The $12.2 million project will include hydro demolition across sections of Berth 1 at the Port of Esperance and Berth 3 at the Port of Albany followed by concrete replacements.
The two berths are critical for grain exports, which accounted for 93 per cent of the 6.7 million tonnes of trade facilitated over them last year, with figures expected to succeed that this year.
Work started in Esperance in late 2025 and the Freyssinet team has since relocated to Albany.
The program of works will be delivered across three stages over the course of three years to ensure no interruption to port operations or customers.
WA Ports Minister Stephen Dawson says the works were vital to the future of the Southern Ports.
“Improving the berths at WA ports means we can continue to grow port capacity to handle trade and that is vitally important given the bumper crops being produced by WA growers,” Dawson says.
“More than 6.2 million tonnes of grain were facilitated by these two berths alone last year and the numbers already look higher this year, which is why it’s important we can simultaneously complete the works without interrupting vital trade.”
Southern Ports CEO Keith Wilks says the investment would assure a positive future for the ports.
“Southern Ports prides itself on an award-winning approach to asset management and a big part of that is ensuring we keep our ports in operational condition,” Wilks says.
“Our berths are fundamental to the throughput and economic contribution we generate across our ports – investment in their upkeep is vital, particularly in our harsh marine environments.
“By completing this as one works package across both ports, we are able to work with a team who is familiar to our environment and undertaking the same methodology, capitalising on favourable conditions to carry out that job without impacting operations.
“We’re confident that working through a multi-year program with the same Freyssinet crew across both sites will deliver the best outcomes for our customers.”
Freyssinet WA remedial manager Mark Wilson says the company is proud to partner with Southern Ports and showcase the company’s role as a leading provider of remedial engineering and asset rehabilitation solutions across Western Australia.