The Pilbara Ports Authority has reported a throughput of 54.8 million tonnes (Mt) of material for February 2023, a five per cent increase over the same period last year.
Port Hedland achieved a throughput of 39.3Mt, a two per cent decrease compared to February 2022.
Port Hedland imported roughly 162,000 tonnes, a dip of one per cent from last year.
Of the 39.3Mt of exports, 38.8Mt was exclusively iron ore, bound mostly for China and partly for Korea, Taiwan and a small handful of other countries.
Almost 79,000 tonnes of manganese ore and 84,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate was exported to China.
Out of a total of 162,000 tonnes of imports, Port Hedland brought in roughly 140,000 tonnes of hydrocarbon.
A throughput of 14.7Mt was reported at the Port of Dampier in February 2023, a 26 per cent increase from February 2022.
Import tallied 87,000 tonnes, which is a 10 per cent decrease from last year.
These exports were again overwhelmingly iron ore, with Port Dampier processing over 12.2 million tonnes of the resource in the month of February alone.
The Federal Government recently announced a $565 million investment into the Port of Hedland to expand its export and import capacity.
In a collaborative effort between the Federal and Western Australian governments, the investment will see Lumsden Point expanded and new facilities and berths installed to help diversify trade in the Pilbara.
This will include increasing the capacity to export lithium and copper concentrates.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the upgrade will help unlock trade and investment opportunities and help to drive Australia’s net-zero future.
“Demand is growing locally and overseas for clean energy sources and our Government’s investment in the Lumsden Point expansion will help position northern Australia to take advantage of the economic opportunities this demand presents,” he said.