The Fremantle Port Authority is planning a major expansion of its port facilities in Cockburn Sound to accommodate the anticipated needs of Rio Tinto’s HIsmelt pig iron plant.
The Fremantle Port Authority is planning a major expansion of its port facilities in Cockburn Sound to accommodate the anticipated needs of Rio Tinto’s HIsmelt pig iron plant.
The new expansion, which brings the number of port projects in the area to four, comes after a lengthy period of negotiations between the port authority and HIsmelt over the adequacy of port facilities.
Fremantle Ports is currently spending $30 million upgrading the Kwinana bulk terminal in order to meet the initial needs of HIsmelt and other industries in the area.
The latest proposal, currently uncosted, involves demolition of a disused finger jetty adjacent to the bulk terminal, the dredging of 1.8 million cubic metres of sand and the construction of a new jetty 1.5 times the current size.
Separately, Fremantle Ports is proposing to spend between $500 million and $600 million building a giant ‘island’ harbour in Cockburn Sound to cater for future growth in container traffic.
The fourth project, planned by Len Buckeridge’s James Point Pty Ltd, involves the construction of a land-backed wharf, which would compete directly with the port authority.
Details of the latest Fremantle Ports proposal are contained in an environmental scoping document released to selected industry and community groups for consultation.
It says phase one of the HIsmelt plant will generate an extra 30 to 50 ship movements, importing coal and iron ore and exporting pig iron.
The stage 2 expansion, which would double output to 1.6 million tonnes of pig iron, would also double the number of ship movements and clearly exceed the capacity of the current infrastructure.
Rio Tinto recently commenced production of pig iron at HIsmelt – about six months behind schedule – after industrial disputes slowed commissioning of the $400 million plant.
The stage 2 expansion is conditional on successful operation of the existing plant, which holds the potential to revolutionise iron making.
WA Business News understands the expansion is also conditional on the expansion of port infrastructure.
Fremantle Ports considered two options for the proposed expansion – construction of a new finger jetty and construction of a land-backed wharf, similar to the James Point proposal.
It said an engineering feasibility study by Maunsell concluded that “the land-backed option was preferable on most engineering points”, including lower construction costs and more operational flexibility.
However, it concluded that risks related to berthing of the large vessels expected to service HIsmelt would be unacceptable due to the proximity of two existing jetties.
Fremantle Ports also said the finger jetty would have a smaller environmental impact, and would cause no direct loss of seagrass.
The main negative was that it would be necessary to dispose of the 1.8 million cubic metres of dredge spoil.
Options include disposal to ‘holes’ left by Cockburn Cement’s shellsand dredging in Cockburn Sound, disposal to the ‘deep basin’ of the sound, or reclamation fill for a possible Australian Marine Complex extension.
Professor George Kailis, chairman of the Cockburn Sound Management Council, said the cumulative impact of the various port developments “certainly is a consideration”.
He was keen to ensure thorough environmental research was undertaken on the likely impact before projects proceed.
Professor Kailis also wanted to ensure realistic contingency plans were put in place to deal with any difficulties.
He said this should include real-time monitoring of the impact of each project.
