Bunbury is the second-largest city in Western Australia and is an important industrial, tourism and commercial base outside of the state capital Perth. The Port of Bunbury is one of the largest regional ports in Australia. The operation of the Port of Bunbury is directed by Southern Ports (SP), a Government Trading Enterprise responsible for the efficient and effective management of the Ports of Bunbury, Albany and Esperance.
Seashore Engineering has been engaged by SP to supervise annual maintenance dredging in the Port of Bunbury. Supervision began in late 2023. Dredging is required to maintain navigable depths of -12.2mCD within the approach channel to the Inner Harbour. The frequency and method of maintenance dredging have varied over the years.
The current approach is annual dredging with a Trailer Suction Hopper Dredge. Dredging is undertaken by RN Dredging, using the TSHD ModiR. They have progressively achieved design depths since 2018.
Production involves maintenance dredging, wrack trawling, seabed levelling and disposal of dredged material at approved sites.
