Emergency equipment from the Port of Fremantle was flown to Alaska to assist in the containment of the massive oil spill from the 'Exxon Valdez'.

May

Port Personnel and emergency equipment were contracted by the Environmental Protection Authority to clean up the historic underground water supply beneath Fremantle Gaol when thousands of litres of diesel oil were discovered in the 854 metres of tunnels dug into the water table to provide fresh water for Fremantle in the early days of the colony.

31 May 1989

The 1.7km seawall which bounds the Port Authority's Rous Head Harbour was closed on 31 May 1989 with Transport Minister Mr Bob Pearce seeing the first of the limestone boulders required for creation of the new commercial boat harbour dumped into position. The new boat harbour was part of the Authority's $30 million 'Seafreight 2000 project'.

July 1989

The North Mole sea wall constructed by engineer C.Y. O'Connor almost 100 years ago was broken through in July 1989 to make an entrance to the new commercial boat harbour.

November 1989

The biggest ship ever to enter Fremantle's Inner Harbour, the US aircraft carrier "Midway" berthed at the Passenger Terminal in November 1989. At 308 metres in length, the ship is 14 metres longer than the QEII, the previous biggest vessel to enter the Inner Harbour, and is also two and a half times as wide.

1 November 1989

The containership "Aurora" arrived in Fremantle on 1 November 1989 as part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company's expansion of services to include Fremantle as a new monthly port of call. It was the first time the company had been to the WA coast and Fremantle.

29 November 1989 - 10 December 1989

As the official arrival and departure sponsor for the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race and the only Australian port of call, the Port of Fremantle welcomed the participating yachts as they arrived over the period 29 November 1989 to 10 December 1989. Fremantle marked the completion of the second leg of the race. The yachts departed on the third leg on 23 December 1989.