PILBARA Ports’ Lumsden Point common-user infrastructure project at Port Hedland has achieved two major milestones with the confirmation of two significant contracts.

Jan De Nul (Australia) Pty Ltd will undertake dredging and land reclamation work, including creating e a new access channel for Lumsden Point, a swing basin, and berth pockets suitable to accommodate non-tidally restricted vessels.

Jan De Nul will begin mobilising to the site this month to prepare for dredging, which is expected to begin September 2024.

The second contract is to MGN Civil Pty Ltd for the construction of the causeway which will connect the new wharf to the proposed logistics hub area. Construction has already started.

The project has also achieved a crucial milestone, with the completion of seawalls critical to enabling dredging and subsequent construction stages to progress.

Lumsden Point is intended to fill a gap in Port Hedland’s capabilities and will facilitate the export of battery metals such as lithium and copper concentrates, the import of renewable energy infrastructure including wind turbines and blades, support the growth of direct shipping services to the Pilbara.

The Australian Government is investing $565 million in common user port upgrades in the Pilbara, $450 million of which will enable the development of the new multi-user facilities and berths at Lumsden Point. This is in partnership with the Western Australian Government, which is contributing $96.6 million to the project.

Pilbara Ports Authority has already secured its first two customers for Lumsden Point. Mineral Resources and Pilbara Minerals have each signed a commitment agreement for the minerals export section of the two-berth facility.