Australia: Port Hedland Iron Ore Exports Hit all Time High in May’17

Port Hedland has delivered a total throughput of around 479 MnT iron ore in 2016 and 446 MnT in 2015. BHP Billiton and FMG (Fortescue Metals Group) exports iron ore mainly from Australia’s Port Hedland. Western Australia’s Port Hedland - the world’s largest bulk export terminal exported around 44.08 MnT iron ore in May’17.

The volume of exports from Port Hedland was up by 4% M-o-M compared with Apr’17 which was 42.3 MnT. Similarly Y-o-Y exports were up as well by 39% as it were 31.6 MnT in May'16.

For the first five months of 2017 iron ore exports from Port Hedland were recorded 20% up at 182.6 MnT against 152.3 MnT in the first five months of 2016.

Country-wise iron ore exports from Australia’s Port Hedland in May’17

China’s intake of iron ore from Port Hedland increased 20% Y-o-Y to 38 MnT iron ore in May’17, as against 31.66 MnT in May’16.

Iron ore exports to South Korea were 2.54 MnT, down 34% Y-o-Y compared with 3.82 MnT in May’16. Japan imported 2.24 MnT iron ore from Port Hedland in May’17, down 13.3% Y-o-Y.

However export to Taiwan from the port climbed 4% Y-o-Y to 0.48 MnT in May’17 from 0.46 MnT in May’16.

Other countries that imported iron ore from Australia’s Port Hedland in May’17 were - Indonesia, Singapore and Netherlands.