PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian government will invest A$332-million into the Mid West Ports Authority's Port Maximisation project, to meet increased demand for Geraldton Port services.

The Port Maximisation project will be delivered over four years, facilitating growth by allowing Mid West Ports Authority to increase trade from 15-million tonnes a year to 25-million tonnes a year by 2026.

This plan will see new trades from 11 new customers and their diverse product mix of material, supported through a combination of debottlenecking and new economic infrastructure - covering transport, land acquisition, storage, materials handling, upgrades to Berths 1/2 and 6 and associated supporting infrastructure.

The project is expected to create more than 2 700 jobs during construction and hundreds of indirect jobs and opportunities for local subcontractors to get involved. 

Ports Minister Rita Saffioti said that increasing capacity by 10-million tonnes a year will provide great opportunities for prospective customers, with many of the projects included in the Port Maximisation project accelerated to take advantage of commodity prices.

She added that the project would facilitate greater trade, maximise the use of the existing Port footprint and deliver value to the Mid-West.

“Mid West Ports Authority has been experiencing substantial growth for port services, with projected demand increasing. This is why the government has invested A$332-million to meet this demand and create further investment opportunity. 

“This region has long been associated with grain and iron-ore exports, however, the region is becoming a valuable supplier of mineral sands, metal concentrates and silica sand in a rising global market,” said Saffioti.

“Our investment is going to support greater diversification at the port, increased resilience, greater growth, and create more than 2 700 jobs. It will provide essential capacity for emerging Mid-West exporters to reach lucrative international markets.”