Loading ...DUE to growing demand in woodchip exports and the inclusion of mineral sands, the Port of Portland has set a new record for cargo moved through the port in a 12-month period.
The record 4.2 million tonnes of throughput had stood for a decade but was eclipsed in April.
The Port of Portland announced last week that on April 15, the Universal Green left port carrying 48,000 tonnes of hardwood chips to China, breaking the previous throughput record set in 2000/01.
Since then the record has continued to grow and still has 24 days of port movements until the end of the current financial year.
Port business development manager Malcolm Geier said 4.35 million tonnes has gone through the port so far and between 4.8 and five million tonnes could be moved before July 1 thanks to the timber and mineral sands industries.
“Mineral sands have been the biggest change for us to break that record.
“We’ve moved 0.5 million tonnes since July 1, 2011 and 1.1 million tonnes of hardwood chips, they’re the key drivers for us at the moment,” he said.
The new record won’t stand for another 11 years though, with the port expecting to increase production by up to 33 per next financial year, moving between six and 6.4 million tonnes thanks to Chinese demand and another six months of full capacity grain movement following this seasons 7 million tonne Victorian harvest.
Read more in Wednesday’s edition of the Portland Observer.
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