Rail project for Fremantle Port.

• Author: Duffy, Evelyn
• Position: PORTS & SHIPPING

A coordinated approach to planning for new freight facilities at Fremantle Port is ensuring that Western Australia's only container port is equipped to cope with its booming trade.

Fremantle Ports, which achieves trade growth of 8 percent annually, has cooperated with the State Government and industry to ensure it's transport infrastructure will not be hampered by bottlenecks.

A major part of this plan has included the development of $29 million rail freight facilities on North Quay.

Australian joint venture, Henry Walker Eltin/MVM is expected to complete the North Quay Rail Project, which includes a 900m rail loop and a rail terminal, in December.

The first rail track for the 900m rail loop was laid in June.

Fremantle Ports chief executive officer Kerry Sanderson said planning for the North Quay Rail Project projected a positive message about working in partnership to avoid capacity constraints in Australia's export transport system.

Fremantle Ports was working closely with the State Government to develop a transport infrastructure that was robust enough to cope with growing exports and imports.

"With our upgrade at Kwinana and a deep...