Projects

Client’s Challenge
The Port of Portland is a key economic hub in Victoria, Australia, essential for facilitating trade and supporting industries across the region. Its strategic advantages include proximity to major bulk commodity customers, deep-water access, and advanced cargo-handling facilities. With a catchment area spanning Western Victoria, Southeastern South Australia and the Riverina in New South Wales, the Port plays a pivotal role in regional and interstate trade. To showcase its broad economic contribution and to support the communication of these strategic advantages, the Port required a comprehensive economic impact assessment be undertaken.

Our Solution
Positive Economics Advisory delivered a detailed economic impact assessment that captured the Port's influence at local, regional, state, and national levels. Our analysis mapped the trade catchment across Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales and evaluated the jobs and business revenues that are linked to the Port’s operations. To further highlight its significance, using an advanced economy-wide model, we quantified the complex supply-chain dependencies tied to the Port. We simulated a scenario where trade was diverted to other ports, estimating the economy-wide effects on key metrics such as GDP, employment, exports, and industry output. The result was a high-impact, easy-to-understand, public-facing report that underscores the Port of Portland's vital role in driving economic growth and prosperity. The public facing report effectively communicates the Port's contributions to stakeholders, demonstrating its importance to the local, regional, and state economies.