Current projects

Port of Melbourne has several projects underway, including those below:

Market Site

Last updated: 29/05/26

The Port of Melbourne has secured a long-term lease for 29ha of land located at the Former Melbourne Market Site (Market Site). This lease to 2066, aligns with the existing Victorian Government 50-year port lease established in 2016.

The site will deliver purpose built facilities, including new warehousing capacity, a heavy vehicle facility, empty container storage and an Urban Freight Consolidation Centre.

Port of Melbourne commenced demolition works on Wednesday 11 February in the north-west corner of the site. The works are currently being carried out in stages and are on track for completion by the end of Q3 2026.

Contractors are undertaking works in line with City of Melbourne Permitted Construction Hours.

This means works are undertaken Monday to Friday 7:00am to 7:00pm, and Saturdays 7:00am to 3:00pm.

Works generally will not be carried out on Sundays and Public Holidays.

If works need to be scheduled outside these times, Port of Melbourne will notify nearby stakeholders in advance of works commencing.

For more up to date information click here.

Market Site Engagement

In September and October 2025, Port of Melbourne held two stakeholder facilitated workshops focused on concept designs for a proposed Heavy Vehicle (HV) Facility, occupying approximately 1.8 hectares of the site.

Port of Melbourne will continue to progress and make changes to draft designs to better respond to future operational elements associated with the HV Facility.

To find out more about the workshops click here.

Port Wide Security – CCTV Project

Last updated: 01/05/26

As part of our continued focus on safety and security, the Port of Melbourne is about to commence works associated with the port wide CCTV system upgrade.

In 2024, Port of Melbourne undertook an assessment to identify appropriate CCTV pole locations and ensure good visibility of key areas for improved monitoring and incident response. In mid‑2025, this assessment confirmed 25 new CCTV sites. 

Installation of the new poles will take place across the port throughout 2026.  

Early works commence in March with working continuing to mid-2026. Within each precinct, works will progress between multiple sites with staggered start times.  

These commencement dates are outlined below and will be regularly reviewed and updated as the project progresses.

Swanson Dock West Remediation Project

Last updated: 29/05/26

Swanson Dock West (SDW) is a critical International Container Terminal (ICT) comprising a 944m wharf with three container-handling berths, which were constructed in several stages between the 1960s and 1980s.

This three-stage project involves extending the design life of the asset and accommodating for larger ships in the future, ensuring that it is fit for purpose for its key role in supporting container trade into Melbourne.

Stage 1 was completed in May 2025, marking a major milestone in securing the long-term future of this key international container terminal.

Following the completion of Stage 1, the construction methodology was reviewed and refined to enhance efficiency and operational outcomes. As a result, the works have been resequenced. The new program improves efficiency by maximising simultaneous berthing of two 300m vessels and accommodating the increased frequency of vessels exceeding 290m Lenth Overall (LOA).

Stage 2, Berth 3
Works commenced at Berth 3 in September 2025, with works due to be completed in late 2027.

Stage 3, Berth 2
Works are scheduled to commence 2027-28. The project is now expected to be completed in 2032 (subject to change).

Early Engagement

Early planning engagement included two online information sessions about the project on Tuesday 16 August 2022 and Thursday 18 August 2022. Feedback on the project closed on 16 September 2022. Engagement materials can be viewed below:

Appleton Dock Remediation Project

Last updated: 22/04/26

Port of Melbourne is undertaking essential remediation works on timber piles at Appleton Dock as part of our stewardship obligations and Port Load Chart standards. These works are critical to ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the wharf without any load restrictions into the future. The project commenced at Appleton Dock in December 2024, with contractor Bhagwan Marine engaged to deliver the repairs and replacements.

Works update:

  • December 2024: project commencement
  • January 2025: 23 piles repaired out of a total 224. During this time, 41 additional piles were identified as requiring remediation.
  • November 2025: 253 of 265 piles replaced
  • September 2026: anticipated project completion

The works have included 20 months of underwater diving operations, all completed without disruption to shipping operations. Concrete remediation has also been carried out alongside pile repairs to ensure long-term structural integrity.

The project is scheduled for completion in September 2026. These efforts will secure the ongoing safety and functionality of Appleton Dock.

Port of Melbourne Roads Program

Last updated: 21/10/25

Port of Melbourne is delivering a $21 million roads program over a five-year period improving road user experience and increasing safety throughout each of the Port precincts. Following an extensive road audit in 2023 works will be rolled out in packages over a five-year period, through to FY29. Road safety is a key focus area for Port of Melbourne and these works aim to ensure our roads are safe and accessible for both passenger and heavy vehicle use.

More information is available on the Road Network Updates webpage.

To keep up to date on all Port of Melbourne projects, subscribe to our Industry Update here.

Completed Projects

Port of Melbourne engagement materials for completed projects can be viewed below:

Beacon Pile Replacement Program

Completed: March 2026

Port of Melbourne has completed its Beacon Pile Replacement Program, reinforcing its long-term commitment to safe and efficient operations across Port Phillip Bay.

Managing around 200 Aids to Navigation (AtoNs), the port plays a critical role in guiding vessel movements through key shipping channels, approaches and berths. Commencing in September 2024, this program saw the replacement of 63 monopile beacons across the Williamstown Channel and Yarra River, South and Port Melbourne Channels, Point Cook Reef and Gellibrand Shoal.

The works were carefully staged to maintain continuous access and operational continuity and were delivered without disruption to commercial or recreational vessel traffic. Practical completion occurred in March 2026.

The completion of this program enhances the resilience and reliability of navigational infrastructure, supporting safe passage for all users of the bay.

The fact sheet from July 2025 can be downloaded here: Beacon Pile Replacement Program Fact Sheet

Yarra River Services Protection Project

Completed: May 2025

In 2008-09 Port of Melbourne installed protection structures as a safeguard over three trunk services in the Yarra River downstream of the West Gate Bridge. Remediation works were undertaken in segments and completed in May 2025.

Douglas Parade Rock Revetment Project

Completed: April 2025

A 50-meter section of the revetment, located between two concrete seawalls near the Newport Power Station, adjacent to Newport Riverside Park and Bay Trail West was remediated to protect against erosion. Similar works were undertaken south of Short Road, on the opposite side of the Yarra River.

Works were undertaken from January 2025 to April 2025.

As part of the project, Seal the Loop bins were installed providing anglers with an easy way to responsibly dispose of unwanted fishing gear and to help keep aquatic wildlife safe.

Webb Dock East Extension Project

Completed: January 2024

This project was designed to restore the operational capacity of Webb Dock East and allow it to accommodate two large vessels simultaneously. It involved demolition of a redundant section of concrete known as ‘the knuckle’, extraction and replacement of timber piles with steel, construction of a new wharf and hardstand, and dredging of the berth pocket.

Port Rail Transformation Project

Completed: August 2023 (practical completion)

This project involved the acquisition of existing rail assets and rail terminal land within the Port, the construction of a new Coode Road rail terminal interfacing with the Swanson Dock East International Container Terminal, and other improvements to rail and road access infrastructure. The project commenced in late 2021 and achieved practical completion in August 2023. The site is now fully operational.

Detailed designs for the additional ancillary works, to transition from manual to automated rail signalling, have been refined with Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and works will be completed by end 2024-25.