Western Australia ports closed on bad weather

Australia's Port Hedland, Dampier, Ashburton, Varanus Island and Cape Preston West were all closed Jan. 18 due to cyclone risk, operator Pilbara Ports Authority said in two statements.

The closures include Australia's largest iron ore loading port Port Hedland. Iron ore shipments via the port hit a record high of 568.7 million mt in 2024, up 2.6% year over year, Pilbara said previously. China is the ports main export market.

Iron ore, alongside LNG, salt and condensate, is also exported via the port of Dampier.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology also issued a cyclone warning for Karratha, home to one of the world's largest LNG projects the North West Shelf.

The cyclone risk in the area is expected to continue through Jan. 20.