Global · Case study

Port of Melbourne, Community Engagement and Benefit Programs

Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaOngoing

The Port of Melbourne, privatized in late 2016 under a lease to 2066, delivers community engagement and benefit programs across the greater Melbourne region (Port of Melbourne, 2024). It describes itself as Australia's largest general cargo and container port (Port of Melbourne, 2024).

Community programs at Port of Melbourne include, among others, a Port Education Centre, which 39 schools attended in FY24, financial support for Victoria's two seafarer welfare charities, Stella Maris and The Mission to Seafarers, a "Reflect" Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), with the port acknowledging the Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Peoples of the Kulin Nation as Traditional Custodians, and Seal the Loop bins that encourage anglers to dispose of fishing line responsibly (Port of Melbourne, 2024).

The 2024 Sustainability Report records a community partner cash contribution of $219,000 in FY24, and 100 percent of the proceeds from the port's community boat tour program go to community partners (Port of Melbourne, 2024). The port was again recognized with a 5 Star rating in the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment, as stated in the same report (Port of Melbourne, 2024).

Transferability

For DMC ports, Port of Melbourne demonstrates integrated community engagement supporting social licence in a major urban context. Transferable elements include, among others, structured community partnership programs with stated outcomes, engagement with Traditional Owners aligned with national reconciliation frameworks, multi sector partnerships spanning education, social welfare, and environment, and integration of community reporting with corporate sustainability disclosure.

Sources

All information used for this case study was based on publicly available resources.