Pilbara Ports Authority has handed over the Port of Ashburton, developed as a construction support facility for Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG project.
Located 12 kilometers south-west of Onslow, the port will now be repurposed to a general cargo port.
A media statement from the Government of Western Australia says the port includes 312 hectares of common-user area, an infrastructure corridor and 250 square kilometers of port waters.
In October 2017, the commencement of LNG exports from the facility marked the transfer of the channel and navigation areas to Pilbara Ports Authority’s management.
Once cargo is ready, the port will operate as a common-user facility to support trade and industry throughout the region.
Speaking of the handover, transport minister Rita Saffioti , said, “the Port of Ashburton has been designed as a multi-user facility for the export of LNG and other hydrocarbon-based products with capacity for the import and export of general cargo, fuel and supply base activities to service offshore operations in the Carnarvon Basin.”
She further noted that with the final handover complete it is expected that other projects and companies will make use of the port which is expected to stimulate further business opportunities.