Despite this, CEO Saul Cannon says many people don't know just how important the port is to our prosperity.

Covering 505 hectares, the port operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It welcomes 3,000 ship visits a year and 10,500 freight trucks a day, contributing 19,600 jobs and $6 billion to the Victorian economy.  

“It's the gateway in and out of Australia. If there is no port, there's no trade,” he says. “One of the things a couple of our people say is ‘no shipping, no shopping’.” 

Key to PoM’s success are a few unique advantages. In particular, it is the only city port in such close proximity to a major CBD – only five kilometres.  

It can also facilitate some of the largest vessels entering Australia. In October 2022 it broke the record for the largest vessel to ever berth at the port, with the CMA CGM Estelle able to transport almost 11,000 standard shipping containers. 

“A lot of city ports around the globe have moved away from the cities, but that proximity and location of us right here in the heart of Melbourne gives us a real advantage in terms of efficient connections to the transport supply chains,” Mr Cannon says. 

“[Around] 94 per cent of containers are destined to a location within 50 kilometres of the port. So that city location has real benefits to the industries that rely on the supply chain we're at the centre of.” 

Mr Cannon has been the PoM CEO since November 2021. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for domestic and global supply chains due to the impacts of the pandemic, labour force shortages, global conflict and extreme weather events but he is optimistic for the future. 

“For me, the big reflection as we look back over the past few years is just how dependent and interconnected we all are, how impacts or disruptions in one part of the supply chain can really flow through and impact others,” Mr Cannon says. 

“But I think we should reflect back and feel relatively proud in terms of how we pulled together and ensure that we deliver what's needed through what's been a pretty difficult and challenging period.” 

PoM is five years into a 50-year lease following its privatisation in 2016. With more than $2 billion invested in port infrastructure over the last decade, underpinning PoM’s future is the 2050 Port Development Strategy to further develop capacity and efficiency.  

Key projects include upgrading the Swanson Dock East and West berths, the Port Rail Transformation Project and expanding and upgrading the Webb Dock East container berths. 

“There's clearly been a lot of change that happens when any organisation goes down that corporatisation journey,” he says. 

“There's been significant investment over the last five years, and we've got a really big capital investment pipeline ahead of us to set Victoria up for our future trade needs. 

“I feel lucky that we've got the shareholders we do – they all take very long-term views. They're all very experienced infrastructure investors with global investments and global experience and that has a lot of benefit for us as the port.”

Membership and advocacy

PoM has been a Chamber member for more than two decades. Mr Cannon highlights the importance of ongoing engagement with Victoria’s key business and government stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes for the port and the state.  

“The importance for me is when you look across the membership base, there are a lot of organisations that really underpin what we need to do in terms of Victoria's economy and ensuring we continue to deliver,” he says. 

“For us there's a real value being part of that, a really great alignment to Melbourne – and also that advocacy piece. 

“It's really important that we've got the right approach to policies and planning that ensure our supply chains and the trade that flows through continue to operate in an efficient and productive manner.