Pilbara Ports has reported a total monthly throughput of 60.5 million tonnes (Mt) for January 2025, which is a four per cent increase on January 2024 totals.
The Port of Port Headland was the backbone of the improved figure with 46.5 Mt of monthly throughput which was an eight per cent throughput total increase when compared to January 2024.
45.9 Mt of Port of Port Hedland throughput was iron ore.
The increasing numbers of the Port of Port Hedland was opposed by a 16 per cent decrease in throughput at the Port of Dampier, which totalled 11.9 Mt.
Port of Port Hedland imports totalled 138,000 tonnes – a five per cent decrease – while Port of Dampier imports totalled 115,000 tonnes – a 24 per cent decrease.
Changes in market conditions, port operations and proponent needs have all been identified as factors of the throughput fluctuation, as has inclement weather conditions of the coast of Western Australia.
On Saturday January 18 the ports of Port Hedland, Dampier, Ashburton, Varanus Island and Cape Preston West were all shut down due to the presence of Tropical Cyclone Sean.
Sean reached a peak intensity of 175 km/h while located approximately 350 kilometres west of Exmouth.
Although it did not make landfall, the system caused 274mm of rain to fall on Karratha in a 24-hour period and generated tides of 0.5 to 1.15m above normal along the Pilbara and west coasts.
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