Esperance Port paves way for trade growth with $12.2m upgrades

Aerial view of Esperance, WA.
Aerial view of Esperance, WA.

The WA Government is positioning the Port of Esperance for growth with a $12.2m investment in road upgrades to improve safety, access and efficiency to the port.

Part of the larger Southern Ports, the Port of Esperance is the only deepwater port in the southern region and one of only two container crane ports in the State.

It is also the third largest spodumene (lithium) port in the world and the region’s second largest employer.

WA Ports Minister David Michael commented on the infrastructure upgrades and road renewals.

“Almost all of the Port of Esperance’s non-iron ore trade is transported by road, so as the port continues to diversify beyond its traditional iron ore base, the delivery of quality road infrastructure is essential,” he said.

“This investment prioritises the safety of our road users and port workers, while also positioning the Port of Esperance to accommodate trade growth.”

The Port of Esperance had a trade throughput of 13.6mt in FY23 with almost half (44%) of that trade transported by road.

More than 300,000 truck movements are recorded at the port each year, the majority carrying non-iron ore trade including grain, spodumene, nickel, fertiliser and sulphur.

This latest $12.2m investment will deliver Stages 2 and 3 of the Port Roads Improvement Program, a three-year staged program of works to renew essential road infrastructure.

Stage 1 works are already underway, comprising a $7.4m upgrade to Hughes Road, the sole heavy vehicle access road into the Port of Esperance.

Future works will now include the reconstruction of degraded areas of road pavement on existing heavy vehicle roads within the port, as well as changes to the existing port access intersection layout to accommodate the significant growth in B-triple road trains accessing it.

When complete, heavy vehicles will have easier port access and a more streamlined route that avoids unsafe interactions and challenging turning circles.

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