The tender to find new operators for the Port of Fremantle’s container terminal has been narrowed down to its current two operators. The process will now move into a negotiation stage.
DP World and Patrick hold the existing leases, which were awarded in 1997 andare set to expire in June 2019.
Due to a range of circumstances, one of which was the potential sale of Fremantle Ports by the previous WA Government, it had not been possible to progress the granting of new leases.
The intent of the current process is to grant new seven-year leases with options for extensions for two further periods up to a total of 21 years at the discretion of Fremantle Ports, and dependent upon State Government decisions arising from the Westport: Port and Environs Strategy.
Leases will commence on 1 July, 2019 and end on 30 June, 2026 (or on later dates if options were granted).
WA Minister for Ports, Alannah MacTiernan, said the process to secure new leases gives confidence to the industry and the community that Western Australia’s expected trade growth over the next decade can be accommodated.
“Negotiations will focus on the ability to address investment and operations plans to cater for expected trade growth in the years ahead, but also the efficiency of land transport movements of containers to and from the port,” she said.
“As part of this process Fremantle Ports will seek to further improve the efficiency of land transport movements of containers to and from the port, for the benefit of the community and industry.
“The container trade is of enormous importance to Western Australia and this tender process is being conducted in the context of deliberations by the Westport Taskforce, which is examining port and landside planning and development requirements to serve the State in the decades to come.”
