The Pilbara Ports Authority is delivering a new general cargo facility and logistics hub at Lumsden Point. The Lumsden Point development will facilitate the export of battery metals such as lithium and copper concentrates, the import of renewable energy infrastructure including wind turbines and blades, as well as support the growth of direct shipping services to the Pilbara.
The project will comprise:
- construction of the logistics hub and landside infrastructure
- two berths totalling 500 metres in length
- associated dredging for the berth and access channel, and
- establishing a causeway between the wharf and land-based facilities.
The project is being delivered across multiple works packages:
- Package One – Seawalls
- Package Two – Dredging and Reclamation
- Package Three – Causeway
- Package Four – Roads and Intersections
- Package 5a (primary works package) - Wharfs
- Package 5b – Materials Handling Facility
- Package 5c – Landside Civils and Services
- Package Six – Harbour Cranes, and
- Package 8a - Headworks - Water Mains Extension.
Key Dates
| Jan 2023 | Construction commencement - Seawalls |
| Apr 2024 | Construction completion - Seawalls |
| Apr 2024 | Construction commencement - Causeway |
| Aug 2024 | Construction completion - Dredging |
| Aug 2024 | Construction commencement - Roads and intersections |
| Sep 2024 | Construction commencement - Dredging |
Funding contributions
| Federal Government | |
| WA Government |
Financing
|
BHP, Fortescue, Roy Hill and a Hancock Prospecting/Mineral Resources Joint Venture have committed a total of $65 million towards dredging costs. It has not been specified whether this is debt or equity financing. |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Pilbara Ports |
| Successful Tenderer: | Package 5a: Wharves - Primary Works Contract - ACCIONA |
| Related contracts: |
PROJECT HISTORY
| May 2014 | Environmental approval for the project was obtained. |
| Jun 2018 | An investor briefing for the project was held by the Pilbara Ports Authority. |
| Jan 2019 | The Pilbara Ports Authority announced that Qube and Melbourne International RoRo & Auto Terminal have been shortlisted to build and operate the new cargo facility. The two shortlisted respondents will be required deliver detailed proposals to Pilbara Ports Authority. |
| 2019 | The Pilbara Ports Authority has confirmed the project is eligible for a Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility loan. |
| Apr 2022 | The Government of Western Australia announced a $78 million funding commitment as part of the 2022-23 Budget towards the Lumsden Point development. |
| Feb 2023 | The Federal Government announced a $565 million funding commitment to support common user upgrades in the Pilbara. The Government of Western announced they will increase their funding commitment to $96.5 million. The Pilbara Ports Authority also announced that MGN Civil was awarded the contract to complete the first stage of the seawalls. |
| Jul 2023 | The Government of WA announced that the second stage of the seawalls was awarded to MGN Civil, who completed the first stage. Construction for the first stage commenced in January 2023 and is expected to be complete in August. The WA Government also announced an increase in their funding commitment to $129.1 million. |
| Oct 2023 | EOIs open for the opportunity to lease vacant land within the Lumsden Point Common User Port Facility. |
| Nov 2023 | The Government of WA announced that the first stage of the seawalls has been complete, with the second stage underway and expected to be complete by March 2024. Tenders for the construction of the causeway also commenced. |
| Feb 2024 | EOIs open for the design and construction of Lumsden General Cargo Facility Berths PH5 and PH6 and selected Landside infrastructure at the Port. |
| Mar 2024 | Expressions of Interest closed for the design and construct of the two berths and landside infrastructure. |
| Apr 2024 | Pilbara Ports announced that it has signed a commitment agreement with two customers - Pilbara Minerals and a Joint Venture of Mineral Resources and Albermarle. The agreement allows for the finalisation of tenure arrangements between the customers and the Pilbara Ports Authority |
| May 2024 | The Federal Government announced the awarding of two contracts for the project. Jan De Nul has been awarded the contract for dredging and land reclamation to create a new access channel in the port that will enable vessels to safely berth, a swing basin and berth pockets. The second contract was awarded to MGN Civil for the construction of the causeway which will connect the new wharf to the proposed logistics hub area. Construction started in April. The Government also announced that the seawalls were completed in March. |
| Aug 2024 | Construction commenced on the Lumsden Point Access Road and Pinga Street intersection upgrades. |
| Sep 2024 | Dredging work commenced by Jan De Nul, with approximately one million cubic metres of material to be removed over the next eight weeks. The Federal Government announced that $450 million of the $565 million allocated to investing in common user port upgrades in the Pilbara has been allocated to the development of new multi-user facilities and berths at Lumsden Point. The Government of WA funding allocation was revised to $96.6 million. |
| Dec 2024 | The WA Government announced that two contracts have been awarded for the project. ACCIONA has been awarded the primary contract to design and construct two land-backed wharves, and Konecranes has been awarded the contract to supply and construct two mobile harbour cranes. |
| Feb 2025 | The Government of Western Australia issued a Request for Tenders for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of Package 5b - Materials Handling System for the project, closing on 28 April. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2024)
Sector
Other Transport
Procurement approach
Traditional Procurement |
Service Contract |
Location
Western Australia |
Resources
Media releases
2024/04/18 Customers secured2023/11/20 Seawall construction completion
2023/07/26 Seawall construction commencement
2024/05/29 Dredging, causeway contract awards
2024/12/20 - Contract award
2022/04/29 Funding allocation
2023/02/21 Contract award first stage seawalls
2023/07/26 Contract award second stage seawalls
2024/08/13 Road and intersection upgrades commencement
2024/09/30 Dredging work commencement
