The former main Port entrance was closed as part of the $120 million Port Access Corridor project and trucks can now only access the Port from Hughes Road. Hughes Road was not designed to be the Port’s primary road entry and will be upgraded to ensure that it is capable of safely handling the traffic volumes. The proposed upgrade will substantially rebuild the road to acceptable standards, and is expected to be undertaken early in 2015.

Esperance’s new Pilot Boat was received, replacing the 1989-built ‘Spitfire’, which was broken by a wave in 2013, after over 20 years’ service. Discussions between traditional landowners and the Port staff resulted in the new addition being named ‘Kwillina’, meaning gliding dolphin. A former lifeboat, ‘Khami’ was used as a stand-in Pilot Boat.

From small initial shipments of 1.5 million tonnes a year from 1992, exports of Iron Ore have increased over the. In 2013-14 the Port handled 11,288,529 tonnes. This is expected to increase to about 11.5 million tonnes, the limit of the Port’s current environmental operating licence.