Ports at Albany, Bunbury and Esperance in southern Western Australia have broken 16 shipping records thanks to record spodumene shipments in a significant year for trade.
The combined export of spodumene from the three southern ports in FY23 reached an all-time high of 2.4 million tonnes, surpassing the previous year's record of 1.9 million tonnes.
The Port of Bunbury made a significant contribution, exporting 1.5 million tonnes of spodumene, while the Port of Albany also saw robust exports of 256,000 tonnes of silica sand.
Esperance Port set a new record for vessel visits, the most the port has seen since 2017. Meanwhile, the ports of Albany and Bunbury both enjoyed record years for total trade.
Besides spodumene, the ports have also witnessed a notable increase in the volume of other commodities, including fertiliser and grain.
Bumper year for trade
Southern Ports chief executive officer Keith Wilks said: "These records are testament to the terrific work of our local teams and all of our customers and port service providers who are working together to deliver Western Australian products to world markets.
The Albany, Bunbury and Esperance ports managed by Southern Ports handle more than 37 million tonnes of cargo each year, facilitating trade across a variety of commodities, containers and cruise operations.
Southern Ports’ 2023 trade records.
Drive towards cleaner energy
The increased trade activity in FY23 underscores the ports' crucial role in Western Australia's economy, as well as the state's transition to new commodities supporting renewable energy production.
Wilks added: "A record 2.4 million tonnes of spodumene was also exported through our ports over the past year, contributing to our state’s critical battery and minerals trade which will shape our country’s clean energy future."
These figures indicate a thriving period of growth and diversification for Western Australia's southern ports.
They also reflect a broader global trend as demand for lithium, a key component in renewable energy production, continues to rise.
The record-breaking spodumene shipments and the growing significance of the ports in the global supply chain for battery materials underline Western Australia's crucial role in the future of clean energy.
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