Professor Newman believes the technology, developed in Belgium, would allow containers to be unloaded from ships in a new outer harbour — which could operate without expensive port infrastructure.

The conveyor belt could take containers to a freight transfer station at nearby Latitude 32 — 1400ha of industrial land in Kwinana.

The belt would be built inside a tunnel and could operate 24 hours a day, in all weather.

Containers could be lifted from a ship on to the slow-moving belt, which would never need to be stopped.

All containers could be handled for road or rail transfer at Latitude 32.

Plans for the $1.6 billion freight link were dealt a blow this month when the Supreme Court deemed environmental approval for Roe 8 — the most contentious part of the project — to be invalid.

Read more: Conveyor belt plan for Fremantle port