Frequently Asked Questions

KMSB is developing new port infrastructure within the Port of Broome that is designed to complement the existing government-owned wharf. The new infrastructure will incorporate an approximately 300m-long causeway which connects to a 165m x 50m floating wharf platform.

KMSB announced the appointment of its construction contractor (TAMS) in Broome in 2022 and has since worked with TAMS to undertake rigorous design and testing activities in a state-of-the-art engineering facility located in Copenhagen, Denmark. The completion of these testing activities subsequently enabled KMSB to progress towards the commencement of physical construction activities.

The Hon. David Michael MLA, Minister for Ports, formally announced the commencement of construction on 7 September 2023.

TAMS began mobilisation and seabed testing activities in late 2023, with site office establishment and onshore civil works due to commence in Q4 2024. 

KMSB has consistently engaged with relevant stakeholders and community members since inception and throughout the development of the project.

Initial consultations were held with key stakeholders (including local, state and federal government agencies) and regional peak body organisations in 2017, followed by a Pre- Feasibility Assessment in 2018.

KMSB has consulted and worked collaboratively with Traditional Owners Nyamba Buru Yawuru (Yawuru) and the Yawuru Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) since the project commenced and will continue to be guided by the Corporation as we move through construction, and into operations.

Stakeholder engagement was conducted from May 2020 onwards, along with a public comment period in July 2020. KMSB has made adjustments and factored in rigorous controls in the design and footprint of the KMSB Facility to effectively address feedback.

No. KMSB and KMS are entirely unrelated to each other.

KMSB is a private, Australian-owned company that will be constructing new port infrastructure in the Port of Broome.

KMS is a company that is developing a mineral sands mine in the Kimberley region. 

No. Due to biosecurity, border force and safety risks, members of the public will not be permitted on the KMSB facility.

Combining contemporary marine infrastructure and a modern operating model, the KMSB Facility will drive advanced solutions for all manner of industrial activity.

We expect the facility to service a variety of industries including:

- Agriculture (eg: cattle transport)

- General cargo

- Tourism (eg: cruise ships)

- Platform Support Vessels

- Roll on – Roll off (eg: vehicle and machinery)

- Green energy

- International import and export

To quantify the economic impacts of the KMSB Facility, PwC undertook an Economic Impact Assessment (EIA). This analysis examined and quantified the additional jobs and economic output that is likely to occur as a result of the construction and operation of the KMSB Facility. The impacts were analysed at the state (WA), regional (Kimberley and northern WA) and local (Broome) levels.

PwC reported the below average annual jobs supported by operational activities;

• 510 - Broome  
• 540 - Kimberley
• 600 - Northern Western Australia
• 1,650 - Western Australia

Kimberley Marine Support Base (KMSB) has long recognised the importance of this area to the Traditional Owners and the local community. Throughout the planning and development phases of the project, all necessary local, state and federal government approvals have been granted.

KMSB has consulted and worked collaboratively with Nyamba Buru Yawuru (Yawuru) and the Yawuru PBC since the projects’ inception in 2018 and will continue to be guided by the Corporation as we move towards construction, operations and the long-term future.

Recent approvals, over and above the minimum requirements, demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that any potential impacts to heritage and environment are minimalised and carefully monitored and managed.

Native Title rights are extinguished over the land and waters of the Broome Port area. Nevertheless, KMSB has long recognised the importance of this area to Yawuru Traditional Owners and has and will continue to engage closely with the Yawuru Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC), community members and Cultural Monitors throughout the development of the project.

The design of the facility and site selection is cognisant of the interests and concerns of various Broome stakeholders. These elements have been iteratively refined in collaboration with key stakeholder groups to minimise environmental, cultural, and heritage impacts.

Through this refinement process, KMSB engaged Yawuru People, including Cultural Monitors and community members, via the Yawuru PBC. A Multi-Objective Land Use Assessment (MOLA) tool was used to overlay the cultural, environmental, and technical requirements for the development. A holistic perspective was taken, including examining the potential cumulative impacts of the Port of Broome’s current activities.

A suitable development footprint was identified through the MOLA process, with this area being selected on the basis of it minimising the overall impact on environmentally and culturally important sites, while also supporting ongoing access to sea Country.

The KMSB project was referred to the Federal Government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Department considered the KMSB project, and decided that it is not a controlled action, meaning that it is not likely to have a significant impact, so it does not require any further assessment or approval under that Act.

Similarly, the Western Australian government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also reviewed the KMSB project. The EPA decided that the design of the KMSB project had carefully considered the ecological and heritage values in the area, and that the KMSB project is unlikely to have a significant impact on the environment. Accordingly, the EPA also determined that the KMSB project did not need to be formally assessed under the Western Australian Environmental Protection Act 1986.

It is worth noting that the Multi-Objective Land Use Assessment (MOLA) process undertaken in conjunction with Yawuru and the Kimberley Ports Authority has optimised the design in a way that eliminates the need for dredging and minimises the total seabed disturbance area to under 86.5sqm – an area similar to 1/5th of a basketball court. This has been achieved via the positioning of the floating wharf over naturally deep water and the minimisation of piling structures. 

KMSB has consulted widely and undertaken numerous studies to understand the potential impacts of the development on the environment. This work has uncovered several potential impact areas requiring careful management in line with an Environmental Management Plan approved by KMSB and KPA. Key potential impact areas and non-exhaustive examples of the adopted risk mitigants are included below:

Noise generation - Noise generated by piling activities has the potential to disturb marine fauna. Marine Fauna Observers (MFOs) will be engaged to keep an active watch for any marine fauna (whales, dolphins, turtles, etc). All noise generating works will cease if target marine fauna are sighted within a 100m exclusion zone for shallow water piling activities, and a 1km exclusion zone for deep water piling activities (500m for turtles).

Water turbidity from piling activities - Piling operations are expected to result in a temporary, localised increase in turbidity within 5-20m from the piling location. However, the marine waters in the project area are naturally turbid, particularly during spring tide conditions. Given the strong tidal currents in the proposed piling locations, it is expected that any excess turbidity generated above ambient background conditions would be quickly dissipated. Periods of low tide will also be targeted to conduct piling works to mitigate against the effects of elevated turbidity, which would not be generated if piling at low tide (i.e. in air).

Disturbance of migratory shorebirds - Site staff, vehicles and plant involved in construction activities have the potential to cause disturbance to migratory shorebirds. However, these activities will be restricted to the proposed development footprint, leaving the majority of the available habitat surrounding the area entirely unaffected. Construction lights will also be directed away from shorebird feeding and roosting areas wherever possible, and no flickering lights will be used (except where required for navigational purposes).

Light pollution - During construction there may be small temporary increases in light levels in and around the works areas that may influence turtle nesting. However, significant or prolonged night works will be limited. Given that the nearest turtle nesting beaches are >10 km from the proposal area at Cable Beach, no impacts are predicted on any nesting areas.

Yes, senior personnel in KMSB (as the owner of the facility), TAMS (as the construction contractor), and Kimberley Ports Authority (as the land holders), will all undertake the Yawuru Cultural Immersion training program. A number of senior personnel in these entities have already had the privilege of undertaking this program.

There are a number of stages involved in the construction of the KMSB Facility, which commenced in September 2022 with detailed design and modelling.

In 2024, we saw the offsite fabrication of the floating wharf, and KPA commenced their road upgrades to accommodate the KMSB Facility and the facilities for the expanded FPoE status.

From late 2024, KMSB are constructing and delivering:

• Floating wharf
• Abutment
• Causeway
• Mooring piles
• Landside works
• Road modules
• Linkspan bridge
• Restraint structures

There are a number of stages involved in the construction of the KMSB Facility. These phases are summarised as follows:

Phase one: Detailed design and modelling – A rigorous testing regime involving numerical and physical modelling of the wharf design and its ability to withstand high-impact, low-probability cyclonic events. This phase commenced in September 2022, and ultimately informed the final design of the floating wharf structure.

Phase two: Floating wharf fabrication – Fabrication of the main floating component of the wharf at an overseas shipyard. This phase commenced in Q1 2024. The floating wharf will be delivered to Broome in early 2025, subject to appropriate weather windows for transport.

Phase three: Causeway construction – Construction of the fixed-height causeway and associated components of the infrastructure. This component of works commenced in Broome in Q4 2023 within suitable weather windows and took  the form of seabed testing activities. The main construction activities for this phase of the project commenced in late 2024.  

The deepwater piling activities for the restraint structures will get underway first, with the piling associated with the trestle jetty following shortly after.  The constructuion method for the trestle jetty once piling activities have been completed is hand over hand, working from the shoreside to offshore. 

Due to the floating nature of the facility, we have been able to minimise the number of piles. The piles are approx. 2m in diameter and will be installed on average 17m apart, using a jack-up piling barge and support workboats. Once piles are driven, the headstocks, longitudinal beams, and roadway planks will be installed, also working hand over hand. Completion of this phase of the project will align with the arrival date of the floating wharf.

Phase four: Commissioning and testing – Following the joining of the floating wharf to the causeway structure, the construction contractor will undertake commissioning and testing activities to allow for handover to KMSB.

KMSB will continue to work closely with the Kimberley Ports Authority (KPA) on minimising the impact of marine works on the Broome community. 

Yes. In addition to developments required to accommodate temporary works for construction activities, the Kimberley Ports Authority will be optimising the road network in the area around the Sorghum Shed.

The design is being informed by the outcomes of the Multi-Objective Land Use Assessment (MOLA) process that KMSB previously conducted in conjunction with Yawuru and the Kimberley Ports Authority. Please see kimberleyports.wa.gov.au for regular updates.

KMSB will support the local community and the social advancement of Yawuru people through preferential employment, training and contracting arrangements across any and all KMSB activity (direct or indirect).

KMSB has developed a skills and capability register alongside Nyamba Buru Yawuru. KMSB will then look to recruit or engage directly from this register, with a commitment to sustainable employment outcomes and career development pathways for Aboriginal people.

KMSB is also working closely with the Broome Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) to maximise local contracting and procurement opportunities. KMSB’s procurement policy requires all local content to be exclusively procured through the Kimberley Business Network Platform - a database developed by the BCCI to provide visibility on local capabilities and procurement opportunities. The database is free for all Kimberley-based businesses to sign up to.

In addition to employment and training outcomes, KMSB supports the Broome community’s annual program of cultural events and will support and promote Yawuru’s cultural engagement programs to regular port users and tourists as part of its Reconciliation Action Plan commitments.

Yes, the beach area underneath and surrounding the jetty causeway will be accessible from shore, with the likelihood for some short-term, intermittent access interruptions. 

Specific design allowances have been incorporated (e.g. extending spacing between jetty pylons) to reduce the land-based footprint and enable ease of passage beneath the jetty causeway.

During construction, access to the beach area immediately adjacent to the jetty will be limited. KMSB,TAMS and KPA will communicate this information across multiple communication channels to ensure that the community is informed in advance.

TAMS has been awarded the design and construction (D&C) contract for the KMSB Project.

The construction program is currently running to schedule, with an anticipated project completion date in H2 2025.