The Port of Newcastle recorded its strongest ever volumes of diversified cargo in 2025, with more than 11.12 million tonnes of non-coal cargo passing through.
The result is just shy of one million tonnes more than then previous record of 10.13 million tonnes, set in 2021.
Port of Newcastle CEO Craig Carmody says the record result demonstrates both the strength of the Port’s diversification strategy and its expanding role in supporting Australia’s energy transition and agricultural supply chains.
“Surpassing 11.12 million tonnes of diversified trade in 2025 marks an important milestone for Port of Newcastle and reinforces our long-term commitment to broadening our trade base,” Carmody says.
“These record volumes are more than numbers – they reflect the strength of our partnerships, the commitment of our workforce, and the progress we’re making towards a more diversified and sustainable future for our Port and our region.”
In 2025, wheat exports increased 396 per cent year-on-year to reach 2.9 million tonnes, buoyed by favourable seasonal conditions across northern cropping regions. Exports of meals and grain to destinations including the UAE, Bangladesh, Japan, and Vietnam also grew 19 per cent on 2024 volumes to over 1 million tonnes.
In total, Port of Newcastle handled more than 160 million tonnes of cargo, including more than 149 million tonnes of coal exports.
“Coal continues to underpin a significant portion of our trade, providing energy security to our global customers. Change doesn’t happen overnight and as markets like Asia continue to diversify, we remain a critical energy export gateway.”
The Port recorded 2,340 vessel visits in 2025, including 574 non-coal and nine cruise vessels.
“What many people may not realise is that the Port handles 25 different cargo types, from aluminium, cement, and fuels to fertiliser, steel, and project cargo, which are all helping to drive growth in diversified trade,” Carmody says.
“We’ve seen particularly strong demand for the import and export of machinery and project cargo, with more than 431,000 tonnes moving through the Port in 2025.
“A major contributor to this was the arrival of wind turbine components for the Uungula Wind Farm within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.”
The full results for 2025 can be found here