Port Hedland is the largest Iron Ore export port in the world which received 3,281 shipping vessels last year and currently has 19 shipping berths. The Port is expanding from a throughput last year of 561MT/A (million tons per annum) to a projected 660MT/A. The big three Ports currently have allocated capacity to export Iron Ore BHP 330MT/A FMG 170MT/A and Roy Hill 40MT/A. Each of these Port export capacities is to increase by 25% giving them an extra BHP 80, FMG 40 and Roy Hill 10 MT/A.

A new shipping berth is about to be built in partnership with Roy Hill and Mineral Resources which will share the rail and port infrastructure to allow some of the junior minors access to export where previously were not financially viable. Roy Hill recently won the battle with Andrew Forrest FMG to purchase Atlas Iron who road train the iron ore to export out of Utah Point the newest berth built and operated by the port which alone achieved a record output last year of 200MT. FMG are adding a new ship loader to one of their existing 5 shipping berths to export the magnetite which is pumped in a slurry from the new mine they just commissioned at Iron Bridge.

Federal Funding

The Prime Minister recently announced Federal funding of $565M towards the expansion of the new general cargo berth at Lumsden Point. This will be matched by State Government funding of $96M totaling $660M to increase general cargo capacity which already has 3 regular direct shipping lines between Asia and Port Hedland. The initial stages of this expansion are already well underway with new road infrastructure being built to support the $50B Renewable Energy Hub 200km north of Port Hedland.

‘Joint media statement – Investment to boost engine room of Western Australia’s economy’, Media Statements Western Australia, 21 February 2023,’