Oakajee Port, WA
Oakajee Port common user facilities
Located approximately 20 kilometres north of Geraldton, Oakajee deepwater port and rail common use infrastructure is a critical gateway for the region's growing iron ore industry.
The Government is committing $339 million for the development of Oakajee Port common user facilities, subject to further work and consideration of the project by Infrastructure Australia. Going forward, the Government will seek to leverage this investment to secure private sector equity.
This funding is for the development of common use water, power and road infrastructure to support the Oakajee Port.
The Port will service mining needs in the mid‑west region of Western Australia, and is therefore an important investment supporting Australia's future economic growth.
Supporting future export‑led growth for Australia
A deepwater port at Oakajee will enable the loading of cape‑sized vessels — these are the optimal vessel for the efficient transportation of iron ore. The current port at Geraldton cannot accommodate these vessels, meaning that investment in a new, deepwater port at Oakajee is vital to avoid future infrastructure bottlenecks.
It is anticipated that Oakajee Port will handle up to 35 million tonnes of iron ore exports annually over the next 20 years, contributing to the economic development of the region.
Construction of Oakajee's deepwater port is essential to secure the productivity, resource efficiency and competitiveness of Australia's exports into the future. Such infrastructure projects are critical to the export gateways that will secure Australia's future growth and prosperity.
The total cost of the development is $4 billion. Construction is expected to commence in 2010‑11 and to be completed in 2013‑14.
