Southern Ports and Gold Valley have celebrated a historic first at the Port of Eperance in Western Australia with the departure of 78,000 tonnes of iron ore from the Wiluna West mine.
The ore was shipped on the MV Sifnos which set sail to China, with the successful delivery, storage, loading and departure being the first time two iron ore customers having shared its iron ore circuit assets.
Mineral Resources (MinRes) was previously the sole iron ore exporter at Esperance, but an August agreement with Southern Ports enabled Gold Valley to join as a second user.
Gold Valley’s iron ore journey began with a 900km transportation via truck and rail from the Wiluna West site to Esperance.
In anticipation of increased traffic, the Western Australian Government invested $2.8 million to upgrade critical conveyor systems within the port’s iron ore circuit.
“Western Australia’s mining industry continues to drive the country’s economy with our ports playing a critical role in connecting trade to the world,” WA Ports Minister David Michael said.
“Southern Ports opening its Port of Esperance to a second iron ore customer is another example of how the ports sector is driving economic benefits for the southern regions of our state.
“The Western Australian Government continues to invest in the growth of our ports as part of the vital supply chain that boosts our economy and to deliver when new trade opportunities arise.”
Agricultural Region Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Shelley Payne said the milestone is an outstanding outcome for the Goldfields-Esperance region.
“Attracting Gold Valley’s export task to the Port of Esperance will support the jobs of workers at the port and in the rail freight supply chain,” she said.
Gold Valley chairman Yuzheng Xie described the event as “a proud moment for everyone at Gold Valley to watch the MV Sifnos load with our Wiluna West iron ore before it heads to China”.
“Exporting through the Port of Esperance has opened new opportunities for us, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Southern Ports,” Xie said.
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