Pilbara ports exports rise by 3% in FY20

Pilbara Ports Authority achieved record throughput in the 2020 fiscal year, increasing exports to 717 million tonnes.

That comes as the PPA said the region's ports had achieved monthly throughput of 68mt for the month of June, a six per cent increase on June 2019.

This year’s results represent a turnaround in fortunes for the port of Port Hedland after it recorded a fall in iron ore exports in the 2019 fiscal year, having achieved throughput of 538mt this year.

That represented an increase of five per cent on the year prior.

The port also achieved throughput of 52mt in the month of June, a six per cent increase on June 2019.

Iron ore miners BHP and Fortescue Metals Group are the biggest exporters from the ports

Investment bank UBS estimated BHP's exports from the port to be 248mt and FMG's to be 178mt in the year to June 2020,

The port of Dampier meanwhile experienced a three per cent decrease in throughput, having achieved just 168mt.

Exports in the month of June did increase though by eight per cent to 15mt.

Rio Tinto exports through the port of Dampier, as well as its own facilities at Cape Lambert.

The company is expected to export between 324mt and 334mt in the 2020 calendar year.

PPA chief executive Roger Johnston said he was pleased to have achieved record throughput during the pandemic, saying the results were of benefit to all of Western Australia.

“The ports are critical to Western Australia’s economic recovery from the pandemic,” Mr Johnston said.

“A recent economic study has found the Port of Port Hedland and its supply chain contributed 20 per cent of WA’s Gross State Product in 2018/19, and underpinned one in every 12 jobs across the State.

“These figures are likely to be considerably more in FY19/20.

“PPA sincerely thanks its port users, contractors and suppliers for their contribution to the 700Mt milestone.

“PPA continues to invest in and grow its facilities to offer services to new and existing customers.”