WASHINGTON: Throughput at Pilbara ports was up 3 per cent to 55 million tonnes (mt) in April, compared to the same month last year. Figures released from the Pilbara Ports Authority showed the figure was up marginally on the previous month’s (March) figure of 54.8mt. Port Hedland was the big driver of growth with throughput up 13 per cent on the previous corresponding period to 42.9mt. Iron ore exports for the month totalled 42.2mt, an increase of 12 per cent on the previous year. Imports totalled 98,000 tonnes, an increase of 10 per cent from the same month in 2016.
Port Hedland is the biggest bulk export port in the world, overwhelmingly dominated by exports of iron ore by BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals Group. Dampier delivered a total monthly throughput of 12.1mt in April, a 22 per cent decrease on the previous year. Imports totalled 77,000 tonnes, an increase of 3 per cent on the previous year. Dampier is predominantly an iron ore export port, with other exports comprising salt, LNG, anhydrous ammonia as well as project cargo, break bulk and general cargo.
