Investment paying off for port customers and regional industry

Well-timed investment into Southern Ports assets at the Port of Esperance is helping the Port diversify how it works with its growing customer base.

Minister for Ports Stephen Dawson MLC celebrated the completion of a $2.6 million suite of shed improvements during a visit to the Port this week.

The improvements, which were the biggest suite of maintenance works completed on Shed 5 since its construction in 2007, included concrete flooring, structural remediation of the columns, roof trusses and conveyor infrastructure, and refurbishment of the weighbridge.

Miners and growers in the region are already benefiting from improvements to the shed which will be used by quicklime importer Pacific Lime and Cement as well as fertiliser importer CSBP. 

Southern Ports Chief Executive Officer Keith Wilks said that diversifying opportunities through the Port meant investing to create flexible capacity.

“Export opportunities have traditionally been the driving force behind our three ports, but we know that importing through regional ports is a chance for suppliers to more directly service their customers,” Mr Wilks said.

In December a first-time import of 10,400 tonnes of bagged quicklime for Pacific Lime and Cement utilised storage space in Shed 5 to allow for efficient vessel unloading.

The product has been imported through the Port of Esperance to create an improved supply chain for the region’s mineral processing operations.

“Whether its exporting or importing, Southern Ports is committed to working with customers to connect regional industry and build resilience into both our operations and the region’s supply chain, " Mr Wilks said.

Pacific Lime and Cement add to the 24 customers that moved 22 different commodities through the Port of Esperance last year.

CSBP, already an existing Southern Ports customer, is also improving its import supply chain due to the Shed 5 improvements.

During a successful four-month trial last year the company stored about half of its fertiliser imports in Shed 5 rather than taking them directly out of the port, allowing for continual unloading of its vessels.

A new agreement is expected to see the company move about 50,000 tonnes of fertiliser through the shed over the upcoming season.

Minster for Ports Stephen Dawson MLC said diversifying trade “positions the port for long-term growth and reinforces the port’s role as a critical gateway for the region’s economy.”

“Efficient access to critical imports like fertiliser underpins the agricultural sector - it sets up our growers for the bumper seasons like the one we’re experiencing this year,” he said.

Read the Minister’s full statement – here.