Westport: Project Update - ISCouncil

Westport: Project Update

Tuesday, 21 August 2018

Westport: Project Update

The Westport project is delivering a sustainable and globally responsive long-term supply chain strategy to optimise freight, trade and logistics needs from Fremantle and Kwinana to Bunbury.

It will guide the planning, development and growth of the Port of Fremantle at the Inner and Outer Harbour, the required rail and road networks, and the opportunities for the Port of Bunbury to handle trade expansion.

The port, which handled $26 billion in trade in 2016-17, is the gateway for most of the imported goods used in the homes and businesses of all Western Australians. For local exporters, it is a vital link to world markets.

Westport are demonstrating their sustainability leadership in undertaking an ISv2.0 Planning rating whilst in the strategic planning phase. This is exceptional as it is the earliest a project has applied the IS rating scheme, when the chance to maximise sustainability outcomes is highest.

In the recently published project update, Westport Taskforce chair Nicole Lockwood, who recently spoke at ISCA's WA Conference, outlined Westport's commitment to a Planning rating:

"When planning ports and supporting infrastructure for a 50-100 year horizon, it is critical that our activities are sustainable - environmentally, socially and economically - so that the liveability of Perth and the South West are retained for future generations. Westport is taking a sustainable approach to planning for the future and building ISCA’s principles into every step of the project.

The IS Planning Rating, launched by ISCA in July 2018, is being used to optimise quadruple bottom line outcomes – economic, social, environmental and governance outcomes – that will benefit the Westport project and the State.

Westport’s current project scope currently only covers Stages One and Two of Infrastructure Australia’s Five Stage Assessment Framework: Stage One is Problem Identification and Prioritisation; Stage Two is Initiative Identification and Options Development. ISCA will provide an independent certification of Westport’s sustainability performance in line with these two stages of the overall infrastructure delivery process.

ISCA’s evaluation will focus on sustainability aspects material to the Westport project including: governance; leadership; United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; meaningful stakeholder engagement; and robust options assessment that promotes positive sustainability outcomes."

To read more about Westport, and their port and environs strategy, visit their website.