Current projects
Port of Melbourne has several projects underway, including those below:
Swanson Dock West Remediation Project
Swanson Dock West (SDW) is a critical International Container Terminal (ICT) comprising of a 944m wharf with three container-handling berths, which were constructed in several stages between the 1960s and 1980s.
The existing SDW wharf is of varying ages and forms of construction. Sections of the wharf are close to or beyond the typical design life of 30 years (standard design life utilized at the time) and as a result, major remediation and asset intervention is required.
SDW International Container Terminal currently has a three- berth operation. Our three-stage program has been developed to enable it to maintain a two-berth operation for the duration of the works. Commencing from Berth 1, the project will focus on completing works for each berth, moving progressively toward Berth 3. The timeframes and staging for Berths 2 and 3 are still pending further project development and approval.
Please view the project factsheet for more information.
Information Sessions
Port of Melbourne conducted two online information sessions about the project on Tuesday 16 August 2022 and Thursday 18 August 2022.
The final presentation is available here for your reference.
Feedback on the project closed on 16 September 2022.
Final Stakeholder Engagement Report
Thank you to members of the public and the wider industry for participating in the Swanson Dock West Remediation Project information sessions. We are pleased to present the final stakeholder engagement report for your reference. The report has been prepared by RPS Consultant, who assisted PoM in the Swanson Dock West stakeholder engagement program.
If you have any questions about the Swanson Dock West Remediation Project, please contact the Port of Melbourne here
Douglas Parade Rock Revetment Project
Last updated: 08/01/25
Port of Melbourne will be carrying out works on sections of the Douglas Parade Rock Revetment from January to March 2025 (see map here).
The revetment is approximately 500 metres long and located between two concrete seawalls near the Newport Power Station, adjacent to Newport Riverside Park and Bay Trail West. A 50-meter section of the revetment will be remediated to protect against erosion.
From January, Port of Melbourne’s contractor, Dirt Rock Civil, will be on site from 7:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday and 7:30am to 4:00pm on Saturdays. No works will be undertaken on Sundays. Weather permitting, the works are expected to take approximately 8 weeks, after which temporary fencing will be removed and the ground surface remediated as part of completing the project.
Similar works will take place south of Short Road, on the opposite side of the Yarra River, which will continue into 2025.
Beacon Pile Replacement Program
Last updated: 21/11/24
Earlier this year Port of Melbourne commenced a Beacon Pile Replacement Program which will include replacing 29 monopile beacons in the South and Port Melbourne Channels.
Works will soon commence outside the South Channel and for safety purposes vessels will need to provide a 50metre minimum clearance while works are taking place.
These works are expected to continue through to April 2025.
For more details, view the project fact sheet here.
Yarra River Services Protection Project
Last updated: 02/09/24
As part of the Channel Deepening Project in 2008-2009, the Yarra River Services Protection Structures were installed as a safeguard over three trunk services in the Yarra River downstream of the West Gate Bridge.
Port of Melbourne will soon be undertaking works including:
- Visual survey of the grouted rock protection structure to inform defects; and
- Remediation of deteriorated grouted rock.
Works are scheduled to commence from week commencing 16 September 2024 and may take between 6-8 months to complete, subject to weather conditions and actual extent of defects. Port of Melbourne has worked closely with Ports Victoria to establish a set of protocols that provide maximum flexibility while facilitating these essential works.
Confirmation of works will be issued via Notices to Mariners.
For further information a fact sheet can be downloaded here: Yarra River Services Protection Project Fact Sheet
A presentation on the project can be downloaded here: Yarra River Services Protection Project Presentation
Completed Projects
Webb Dock East Extension Project
Port of Melbourne has completed works at Webb Dock East to reduce port congestion, improve efficiency and accommodate larger ships at Australia’s largest container and general cargo port. The project involved demolishing a redundant section of concrete (known as the “knuckle”) and extending the quay line by 71 metres.
Already Australia’s largest container and general cargo port, traffic at Port of Melbourne continues to grow. Removing the “knuckle” will reduce port congestion, improve efficiency and allow larger ships to offload as well as restoring the intended design capacity of the area to a two-berth operation.
Webb Dock East is Australia’s first fully automated container terminal and is operated by Victoria International Container Terminal Limited (VICT). The completed Webb Dock East Extension Project has allowed VICT to commission its two new neo-panamax Ship to Shore Cranes – the largest in Australia.
Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon says the project is an important part of a 30-year investment strategy, designed to create a more efficient and productive port that helps to strengthen Victoria’s economy, “Now more than ever, we need to make sure we get essential goods delivered to hospitals, businesses, schools and homes”.
Further information on the project can be found in our media release.
The announcement was also covered by Seven News Melbourne: Rise in online shopping puts record strain on Melbourne ports | 7NEWS – YouTube
Port Rail Transformation Project
The Port Rail Transformation Project (PRTP) involved:
- Acquiring existing rail assets and terminal land within the Port.
- Constructing a new Coode Road rail terminal interfacing with Swanson Dock East.
- Improving rail and road access infrastructure.
The project commenced in late 2021, with an official sod turn in December 2021 with Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon and the Minister for Ports and Freight, the Honourable Melissa Horne MP. PRTP achieved practical completion in August 2023. The site has since been handed over to Port of Melbourne’s tenants, and is now fully operational. Remaining works to transition to automated rail signalling are in underway, with full completion of the project scheduled for 2024-25.
For more information click here.
Watch a video of PRTP on The B1M’s YouTube Channel here.
Changes to Coode Road
As part of PRTP, Port of Melbourne has permanently closed a section of Coode Road between Dock Link Road and Phillipps Road.
Connectivity will still be maintained between Dock Link Road and Coode Road, through a new two-lane, two-way road, named Intermodal Way.
Webb Trail Revetment Remediation
Sections of the Webb Trail at Port Melbourne were closed following extensive storm damage. The remediation works have been completed and the trail is fully open to the public. We thank the community for their patience as we completed these works. The public notice for the works can be found here.
Swanson Dock East
The works at SDE Berth 1 & 2 are part of a major multi-year rehabilitation project to maintain the Swanson Dock International Container terminals to their design capacity and extend their design life. The scope of works included renewed crane rails, wharf deck, fenders and bollards.
These works commenced in 2017 and have been undertaken in close consultation with Patrick to enable the least amount of disruption to terminal operations through the multi-year project.
Mooring Dolphin Webb Dock
Works to construct a mooring dolphin were undertaken between January and March 2021. Mooring dolphins are structures that help secure vessels when berthed, providing the ability for certain vessels to overhang the berth.