Port Hedland News

A feasibility study has highlighted the potential for using clean ammonia to refuel ships, particularly iron ore carriers, visiting the Pilbara region of Western Australia.The study, commissioned by Yara Clean Ammonia (Yara) and Pilbara Ports, was undertaken by Lloyd's Register, and looked at key areas including the estimated demand and likely availability of ammonia as a replacement shipping fuel. The potential risks and regulatory requirements for ammonia bunkering at the ports…

A report into the security of Western Australia's supply chains has recommended policy and regulatory reforms to support Australian-owned shipping lines competing for domestic sea-freight work.The recommendation has been made in a report by the Western Australian (WA) Government's Shipping and Supply Chain Taskforce. Co-chaired by Kyle McGinn and Jessica Stojkovski, the Taskforce was established following the floods in South Australia in early 2022 that cut off supplies of essential…

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has completed a major A$15.5 million two-year project to repair and rejuvenate essential aids to navigation (AtoNs) off the coast of Port Hedland, Western Australia.AMSA commissioned the works following Severe Tropical Cyclone Veronica in 2019, which caused significant damage to electrical equipment, access ladders, platforms, day markers and fenders.AMSA has replaced the top of 13 AtoNs, installed new platforms and above water pile sections…

An Antigua Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship has been banned from Australian waters over serious safety deficiencies. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said it issued a 180-day ban on the Briese Heavylift GmbH & Co vessel BBC Pearl as the agency works to crack down on unsafe and unseaworthy vessels.after inspectors found multiple failures of the safety management system as well as a defective emergency generator and defective fire dampers during a port State control…

An interim report from an ongoing Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation has detailed the sequence of events of a loaded iron ore carrier’s grounding in a channel while departing Port Hedland, Western Australia in 2022.The interim report details factual information but contains no analysis or findings.In the early hours of April 9, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Hagen Oldendorff departed its berth at Port Hedland, with a harbour pilot onboard. About 50 minutes after departure…

A tropical cyclone smashed into Australia's northwest coast as a category 5 storm, setting new wind speed records, but has largely spared populated regions including the world's largest iron ore export hub at Port Hedland, authorities said on Friday. Cyclone Ilsa made landfall early Friday morning with the highest intensity rating on a 1-to 5 scale and then moved inland as emergency crews urged several remote communities along the storm's path to seek shelter and remain indoors."Port Hedland ... escaped the brunt of the cyclone at this stage.

Australia's northwest region, home to the world's largest export hub for iron ore, could be hit by the most powerful tropical cyclone there in a decade as ports cleared ships and residents rushed to stock up on essential supplies. Cyclone Ilsa, located about 300 km (186 miles) off Australia's coast in the Indian Ocean, is expected to make landfall as early as Thursday night as a category four storm - one rung below strongest category five - packing winds of up to 275 km per hour, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, snapped a four-session winning streak on Tuesday, pressured by lower rates for capesize and supramax vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, lost 53 points, or 3.4%, at 1,507 — its biggest dip in two weeks.The capesize index fell 130 points, or 6.4%, to 1,911.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150…

A Hall Contracting backhoe dredge arrived in Port Hedland last week.Due to its low clearance hull design, the dredge was transported from the Middle East on board a semi-submersible heavy load carrier.After arriving at anchorage, the heavy load carrier was submersed, allowing the dredge to float off.Now anchored at the Port of Port Hedland, prep work is underway on the dredge before dredging works commence at the Spoilbank Marina in early July.Over the next few months, the backhoe dredge…

BHP Group unveiled the world's first liquefied natural gas-fueled bulk carrier vessel in Singapore on Monday, one of five vessels that the mining giant will take delivery of in 2022 as part of efforts to curb supply chain emissions.The 299-metre (981 ft) long Mt. Tourmaline Newcastlemax ore carrier was built by Eastern Pacific Shipping in China and stopped off in Singapore to take on LNG fuel. It will next head to Port Hedland in Western Australia to load iron ore that will then be shipped to customers in China.BHP…

Australian mining giant BHP has taken two KOTUG's tugs on long-term charters to support bulk carrier loadings at Port Hedland, Australia.KOTUG, a Dutch marine services and towage company, said Thursday, its new build Rotortugs RT Imperieuse and RT Clerke had arrived in Port Hedland.Both 32m ART80-32 tugs, built at Cheoy Lee Shipyard, have three Caterpillar main engines, that deliver a total output of 5,295kW each, 13 knots sailing speed, and 80 tons bollard pull power. They are equipped with advanced DMT Escort Winches.

Heading into the seasonally strongest part of the year, dry bulk owners have already enjoyed a very profitable year with the temporary factors helping the market stay strong expected to continue providing support into 2022, says shipping organization BIMCO.Demand drivers and freight ratesThe dry bulk shipping industry continues to enjoy a bumper year, with average earnings continuing to outshine any profits made in the past couple of years. As is often the case, Capesizes’ are taking the spotlight, with recent earnings peaking above $50,000 per day.

Singapore-based Sembcorp Marine has secured an exclusive contract from floating production firm Altera Infrastructure, to carry out the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) work for an FPSO to be built for Santos' Dorado oil and project offshore Australia.Dorado. located in the Bedout Sub-basin, offshore Western Australia,  is an oil and gas project which is expected to have an initial oil production of 75,000 to 100,000 barrels per day, with subsequent development of significant…

Australian oil and gas company Santos has awarded the FEED contract for the FPSO for the Dorado project offshore W. Australia to Altera Infrastructure.Located in the Bedout Sub-basin, Dorado is an oil and gas project which is planned to be developed in two phases. The initial development involves the production of oil and condensate through a wellhead platform (WHP) and FPSO. Gas will be reinjected in the initial phase to enhance oil and condensate recovery, followed by a planned future phase of gas production to backfill Santos’ domestic gas infrastructure in WA.According to Santos…

KOTUG Australia Pty Ltd  (KOTUG) and WESTUG PTY Ltd (Westug) have successfully concluded an agreement to re-shape the towage services for Pilbara Marine, a subsidiary of Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue) in Port Hedland. The service includes the operation of nine state of the art Rotortugs at Port Hedland, which have been servicing Fortescue and other port users since the commencement of operations in 2019.After almost three years of working together to successfully establish the towage service for Fortescue in Port Hedland…

Benchmark Asian iron ore futures rose on Thursday as data showed monthly shipments of the steelmaking ingredient to China from Australia's Port Hedland dropped to the lowest in two years.Shipments from Port Hedland, the world's biggest iron ore export hub, totalled 30.73 million tonnes in February, when top steel producer China typically imports less due to the Lunar New Year holidays.That is the lowest since March 2019 and compares with 35.6 million tonnes in January and 33.3 million tonnes in February last year…

The global iron ore market is likely to remain robust for some time, given supply concerns and stronger-than-usual demand from top consumer China, Fortescue Metals Group Chief Executive Elizabeth Gaines said on Thursday."Not only in China, but the ex-China activity is also picking up to pre-COVID levels," she told a media call. "Our view is that the market will remain robust for some time."In China, activity rates didn't slow as much as is normal for the Lunar New Year because not as many workers returned home, she said.

Iron ore shipments to China from Australia's Port Hedland rose by 16% in December from a month earlier, despite a short weather-related shutdown, the Pilbara Ports Authority said on Friday. Iron ore exports to China rose to 40.0 million tonnes from 34.44 million tonnes in November, data from the authority showed. Total iron ore exports from Port Hedland rose to 46.5 million tonnes from 41.61 million tonnes in November. Strong shipments from the world's largest iron ore export…

An impressive recovery in Chinese dry bulk imports has protected the industry from the effects of falling demand in the rest of the world. High deliveries and low contracting have left the orderbook at multi-year lows, but – with the poor outlook – the current influx of new dry bulk ships orders is not what is needed.Demand drivers and freight ratesThe biggest story in the dry bulk industry in recent months has been the strength of the recovery in major Chinese imports. These are up across the board…

A Panama-flagged bulk carrier with a coronavirus outbreak on board has sailed from its anchorage off Port Hedland and is enroute to Manila, the Philippines.The clearance for the Vega Dream’s departure was given Wednesday by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.The Western Australian Department of Health said it offered assistance to the COVID-19 positive crew "in line with its commitment to humanitarian care", but medical intervention was not required and declined.Prior to embarking on its voyage, the Australian public health experts provided advice to the vessel around infection prevention and control. The shipping agent was also offered access to the Department’s vessel deep-cleaning plans…

Australian defense personnel are being deployed to Port Hedland, one of the world’s largest iron ore loading ports, to help contain a coronavirus outbreak on a bulk carrier that last changed crews in the major seafaring city of Manila.Seventeen of the 21 crew from the Patricia Oldendorff carrier have tested positive for the virus, ship owner Oldendorff Carriers said in a statement.Ten of the infected crew members have been moved to hotel quarantine, and seven remain on board as part of a nine-person crew, authorities said.Oldendorff said the crew change on September 5 in Manila complied with all protocols.“All crew members tested negative for the virus before leaving the Philippines…

A bulk carrier picked up four fishermen stranded at sea on June 12 off the coast of Manila, the ship's operated NYK said.The Singapore-flagged CSK Zephyr, owned by Tai Chong Cheang Steamship Co. (Shanghai) Ltd., was sailing from Port Hedland, Australia, to Caofeidian, Tangshan in China, when its crew spotted four fishermen clinging to their boat, which had reportedly capsized in bad weather.The master of the 108,362-gross-ton bulker immediately informed shore management, the Philippine Coast Guard…

The success of the first lines boat / utility vessel Dongara Marine built for Jetwave Marine led the Western Australian marine services provider to acquire a second.Jetwave Nelson Point is the latest addition to Jetwave Marine’s owned and operated fleet, which includes nearly 30 specialized commercial vessels including harbor tugs, barges, multi-cats, utility / crew boats, and port service craft. These cater to the requirements of clients in the oil and gas, and resource industries Australia-wide.Designed by Southerly Designs…