Glenn Palin, MD of John Holland Group.

Construction specialist John Holland has been awarded a $276 million marine contract which forms part of the early works for Rio Tinto's Cape Lambert Port B Project in Western Australia's northwest.

The contract package involves the construction of a 920-metre jetty and two-berth wharf, new shiploading facilities and associated piping works. The project will increase capacity at the Cape Lambert port by 50 million tonnes per annum.

The new port will be located at the Cape Lambert iron ore facility at Port Walcott, approximately 40 kilometres east of Karratha in Western Australia. Construction will commence immediately with completion expected late in 2012.