15 December 2025 – Port of Melbourne welcomes the official opening of the West Gate Tunnel, a significant milestone in Victoria’s history.
The Tunnel provides a much-needed alternative to the West Gate Bridge, reducing travel times and providing trucks additional direct access connection to Port of Melbourne from the West Gate Freeway and CityLink at both Mackenzie Road and Appleton Dock Road.
This critical infrastructure will support the efficient movement of goods across Melbourne and beyond, including helping trucks bypass up to 17 sets of traffic lights, saving up to 13 minutes in travel time to the port. Truck operators are also expected to benefit from strengthened ramps and bridges with better weight capacity.
Port of Melbourne Chief Executive Officer, Saul Cannon, said:
“The opening of the West Gate Tunnel marks a major milestone for freight efficiency. It will provide our port users with improved connectivity and help alleviate congestion on key routes, which is vital for supporting an efficient and resilient freight supply chain.”
Complementing the Tunnel, the six 24/7 no-truck zones and a night-time and weekend no-truck zone in the inner west is expected to move approximately 9,000 trucks a day off residential streets, providing safer roads, improved local air quality, and less truck noise – enhancing safety and amenity for local communities.
“We welcome initiatives that improve the balance between freight efficiency and community wellbeing. The West Gate Tunnel will not only benefit port users but also deliver positive outcomes for residents in Melbourne’s inner west,” added Mr Cannon.
Port of Melbourne continues to support initiatives that reduce the number of trucks on local roads and improve transport efficiency for the benefit of industry and the community.
For more information contact:
Nicole Ng
+61 427 700 844
nicole.ng@portofmelbourne.com