Pilbara Ports Authority has continued its growth surge with another record-breaking export performance, the sixth consecutive year of growth for Australia’s largest bulk commodities hub, comprising the ports of Port Hedland, Dampier, Ashburton, and Varanus Island.
Due to its proximity to high-grade resource deposits, deep-water access, and efficient rail connections, Pilbara Ports is the world’s largest bulk port authority by volume.
The authority handled 775.7 million tonnes of cargo and generated about $153 billion in export value in the 2025 financial year.
The factors contributing to its continued success, according to the port authority, include ongoing improvements in loading rates and vessel turnaround times, targeted infrastructure investments across port facilities, enhanced logistics coordination, and advanced scheduling systems.
Port performance across key operational metrics was maintained to a high standard, with an average vessel turnaround time of 24 to 48 hours (global industry average 48 to 72 hours), iron ore loading rates of more than 10,000 tonnes an hour (7,500 to 9,000 globally), and 85 to 90 per cent berth utilisation, compared to 75 to 80 per cent globally.
Safety performance also surpassed industry standards – incidents per million tonnes were recorded as less than 0.5, compared to 0.8 to 1.2 globally.
The authority explained that these efficiency metrics directly translated into competitive advantages for Australian exporters by reducing shipping costs and improving delivery reliability.
It said: “[Our] performance metrics represent industry benchmarks that many global competitors strive to achieve, reflecting decades of continuous improvement and strategic investment.”
Port Hedland maintained its dominant position within the network, handling 577.7 million tonnes in the financial year, which accounted for approximately 75 per cent of the authority’s total throughput.
The port recorded a year-over-year growth of about 1 per cent and maintained its position as the world’s largest bulk export port by volume.
The remaining 198 million tonnes of cargo was distributed across the three other facilities, with iron ore, LNG and salt exported from Dampier, a multi-user facility serving numerous resource companies; LNG and petroleum products from the strategic energy export hub at Ashburton; and oil and gas from the specialised offshore loading facility at Varanus Island.
Iron ore was the primary commodity exported from the Pilbara, with the 730 million tonnes shipped during the financial year up 3 per cent on the previous year and constituting about 81 per cent of Australia’s total iron ore exports.
Notably, iron ore exports from the Pilbara account for about 43 per cent of the global seaborne iron ore market, making it perhaps the world’s most significant export hub for a single commodity and highlighting the region’s critical importance to national trade.
However, the port authority has deliberately pursued a strategy of commodity diversification to reduce its reliance on iron ore exports alone.
The diversification plan serves multiple strategic purposes, including enhancing economic resilience, future-proofing, positioning for growth, maintaining market stability during sector-specific downturns, and attracting investment and additional resource development to the region.
Salt exports have been a focal point, reaching 5.3 million tonnes during the period, which accounts for about a quarter (26 per cent) of Australia’s total salt production. Additionally, the ports are increasingly handling battery metals and critical minerals essential for the global energy transition.
These include lithium concentrates to support EV battery production, copper for renewable energy infrastructure, rare earth elements essential for high-tech manufacturing and defence applications, and manganese, which is required for steel production and emerging battery technologies.
Another significant and growing portion of the authority’s throughput is LNG exports through Dampier and Ashburton.
In developing its growth strategy, Pilbara Ports identified several evolving market challenges, including fluctuations in Chinese steel production, trade tensions, competition from emerging producers, and the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.
On the other hand, these are balanced out by new opportunities, such as India’s growing steel demand, the critical minerals boom, green steel initiatives, and the industrialisation of Southeast Asia.
These will be complemented by transformational digital technologies that are set to reshape port operations, including automation, data analytics, predictive maintenance, and AI-powered scheduling.
The main driver of future growth in Pilbara Ports, however, will be its significant infrastructure development at Lumsden Point in Port Hedland, which comprises new multi-user facilities, berths, and a logistics hub, diversifying trade in the Pilbara and supporting the growth of Australian energy industries.
Currently under construction, with completion targeted for 2026, the facility will support further trade diversification,
specifically designed to facilitate battery metals exports and diversify beyond traditional bulk commodities.
The design features relating to battery mineral exports include specialised loading equipment for containerised concentrates, enhanced environmental controls for handling critical minerals, dedicated storage facilities for various mineral types, and improved road and rail connections to mines.
Along with expanding direct shipping services to Port Hedland, the project will facilitate the export of battery metals like lithium and copper concentrates, as well as the import of renewable energy infrastructure, including wind turbines and blades.
The development is backed by $129.1 million in state government funding and includes construction of seawalls, a causeway to connect the wharf to the proposed logistics hub, dredging of the inner harbour, and construction of roads in support of the Pilbara Hydrogen Hub.
Growing the capacity of Pilbara Ports has been identified as a national infrastructure priority by Infrastructure Australia, and the Lumsden Point expansion is a strategically significant, critical enabler of key federal and Western Australian government programs.
These include Australia’s Diesel Storage Program, the Pilbara Hydrogen Hub, Critical Minerals Strategy, and Recycling Modernisation Fund, as well as WA’s Australian Climate Policy,
Renewable Hydrogen Strategy, Future Battery and Critical Minerals Industries Strategy, State Infrastructure Strategy, and Diversify WA initiative.
Premier Roger Cook noted there were enormous opportunities in the Pilbara for job-creating new green industries, but the infrastructure needed to be in place to facilitate this growth.
Cook added: “The Lumsden Point development will open up new opportunities in battery metals and renewable energy – ensuring the Pilbara remains the nation’s economic engine room long into the future.”
Along with the recently completed Spoilbank Marina to support maritime industries and recreational boating, Pilbara Ports has an ambitious plan for infrastructure development that focuses on three key areas: capacity expansion (additional berths and loading facilities), efficiency improvements (automation and digital technology), and sustainability initiatives.
