Australia's Anketell port gains EPA approval
The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has given its approval for the development of the multi-user Anketell Point port facility.
The port proposal includes the establishment and operation of a deep-water port with iron-ore stockpiling, transfer and ship-loading facilities. The port would have an initial capacity of 115-million tons a year, and development would occur over 20 years, with the ultimate capacity expected to be around 350-million tons.
EPA chairperson Paul Vogel said assessing the proposal had proven complex, with conditions recommended by the EPA addressing numerous environmental factors, including flora, vegetation, fauna, surface water, groundwater, noise, marine environment and air quality.
“A strict suite of conditions has been recommended to ensure the proposal meets the EPA’s environmental objectives. These conditions include restricting impacts to seabed habitats from dredging and undertaking state of the marine environment surveys to monitor and report on potential changes during the construction phase of the proposal.
“Managing light spill from port facilities on turtle beaches and managing vessels within the port to prevent, detect and control marine pests are also included in the conditions,” Vogel said.
He added that the conditions would also guide the construction of the joint venture vehicle API Management’s West Pilbara iron-ore project, which aims to process and export about 45-million tons a year of iron-ore through the Anketell port.
ASX-listed Aquila Resources, which owns 50% of the project, said on Monday that the first stage of the West Pilbara iron-ore project would use around 30-million tons of the port’s export capacity, with the company envisioning that subsequent stages of the project would require additional port capacity.
The Anketell Point was first identified as a preferred port location for the West Pilbara project in 2009.
Aquila commented that the recommendation for approval was a significant milestone towards advancing the ongoing financing discussions with the China Development Bank, necessary to develop the company’s interest in the West Pilbara project.
To date, some A$430-million had been spent on project studies and the pursuit of state and Commonwealth approvals, encompassing detailed design and technical work related to the Anketell port.
Meanwhile, the EPA had advised that further studies would need to be conducted for the ultimate capacity of 350-million tons a year to ensure air quality at Point Sampson and Wickham met national standards and potential impacts from additional dredging were evaluated.
Vogel said the proposed expansion of the port to its ultimate capacity would also require additional water for operation and dust control.
“As the EPA is assessing other proposals within the region that will require desalination plants, it is important that the impacts from any additional desalination plants discharging within the Anketell region are assessed cumulatively and appropriate management measures can be taken to protect the marine environment,” he said.
A recommended offset package would also help reduce risks to the environment.
The EPA’s report to the Environment Minister was open for a two-week public appeal period, which would close on August 13.
