Iron ore drives record Pilbara exports

Pilbara Ports Authority has reported a record annual throughput for the 2018 financial year, with nearly 700 million tonnes of cargo passing over its docks, on the back of an uptick in activity at Port Hedland.

Throughput for the year was 699.3mt, up 30.7mt or 5 per cent on last year’s result.

The Port of Port Hedland achieved a record annual throughput of 519.4mt, an increase of 18.4mt or 4 per cent from the previous year.

Iron ore exports at Port Hedland increased 3 per cent on last year to 508.9mt.

Imports at Port Hedland totalled 1.7mt, up 6 per cent on last year.

Annual throughput at the Port of Dampier totalled 177.3mt, an increase of 9.6mt or 6 per cent from the previous year.

At Dampier, iron ore made up about 82 per cent of all exports, while LNG accounted for 12 per cent.

Dampier imports for the year reached 1mt, slightly up on last year’s result.

Major iron ore miners BHP Billiton, Fortescue Metals Group and Roy Hill Holdings use Port Hedland.

BHP’s production guidance for 2017-18 is 272-274mt up from 268mt last year, and the company planning to go to 290mt.

Fortescue’s sales guidance for this financial year is 170mt.

Roy Hill has helped boost iron ore exports as it recently reached its production capacity of 55mtpa, with plans to expand to 60mtpa, pending state government approvals.

Rio Tinto uses its own facilities at Cape Lambert and Dampier.

Rio’s guidance for 2017-18 year is 330-340mt.

Rio completed expansions at Cape Lambert and Dampier in 2015, raising annual capacity to 210mt and 150mt respectively.