The supply of iron ore to Fortescue’s port operations in Western Australia were halted due to a train derailment, The Australian Financial Review has reported.
The accident occurred approximately 150km south of Port Hedland on Saturday December 30, with production recommencing along the rail line by Wednesday.
Fortescue reported no injuries at the site or impact on the community and launched an internal investigation.
The company also notified the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator but was advised that no investigator was needed at the site.
Fortescue has since cited a heat-related buckle in its railway line as the cause of the derailment, and is continuing to investigate possible factors, the AFR reported.
Temperatures along the rail line that snakes through the Pilbara region of WA have been known to reach over 50°C.
The AFR reported the nearby town of Marble Bar, located 170km south-east of Port Hedland, reached 49.3°C on the day of the derailment.
A Fortescue spokesperson said shipments of iron ore for December were not impacted by the four-day supply chain outage.
The spokesperson said the wagons were empty at the time of derailment and that March quarter iron ore shipments are unlikely to be impacted.
“We believe we will meet our market guidance,” the spokesperson said.
The company is currently assessing the financial impacts of the downtime and subsequent repairs.
Fortescue executive chair Andrew Forrest has long been vocal about the threat of rising temperatures and taken measures to steer the company towards a renewable focus.
The company has recently invested millions in green ammonia and green hydrogen projects, as well as breaking ground on electric vehicle (EV) milestones.
The iron ore giant also recently unveiled its new Power Positive Plan for a switch to a real-zero target alongside a new green energy investment platform dubbed Fortescue Capital.
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