Inspectors are back on the ground at the Port of Dampier and the Port of Ashburton in Western Australia, trying to get a clear picture of what Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle left behind.
Both ports have reopened in some capacity as of March 28, but it’s not a full “business as usual” moment. Significant infrastructure damage is still narrowing what can be loaded and unloaded, and that has an immediate ripple effect on the kinds of cargo moving through the region.
At Dampier, the general cargo import stream is still shut down. The damage includes the general cargo precinct, including the Dampier Cargo Wharf and the adjacent floating deck facility. It’s basically the heart of the general cargo area that’s been hit—so even though some access is back, those particular operations aren’t.
For the bulk side, the picture is a little different. The Bulk Liquids Berth is still operating, with fuel imports not affected. That distinction matters, because it means some supply chains can keep moving, even while other parts of the port remain stuck in assessment mode. One minute you can hear the routine rhythm of port work, and the next you’re watching teams slow down because the environment is still unpredictable—wind and spray can make even simple inspections feel like a job.
Ashburton is dealing with its own timing issues. The Cargo Wharf remains closed for inspections over the next two to three days, and Pilbara Ports says it will keep communicating updates as it has them. That pause isn’t just paperwork. Inspections take time, and right now, access is clearly part of the problem.
In a statement released on March 28, Pilbara Ports said further engineering and underwater assessments will be carried out as conditions allow. Sea state conditions remain challenging, and that’s limiting access to inspect infrastructure. Still, the company said teams have mobilised quickly and safely, working systematically to understand the full extent of damage and develop a remediation plan. There’s an explicit note of early impact—substantial impacts to operations already indicated—but the message is repair-focused too: Pilbara Ports is committed to effecting repairs and restoring capability as safely and efficiently as possible.
“The Port of Ashburton and associated facilities will be inspected as soon as it is safe for teams to do so,” the statement added. And that safety line keeps repeating in practice—because cyclone damage doesn’t just disappear overnight. It lingers under water, in the structures, in the access routes. The next few days at Ashburton are likely to be where the port’s plan starts to firm up, even if the final shape of repairs won’t be known immediately.
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