Japanese tanker attacked off Indonesia
Fortescue shipments jump in December quarter
The volume of iron ore shipped by Fortescue Metals in the December quarter rose by almost 45% from the previous corresponding period as the total ore mined over the same period also increased.
In the three months ending December, Fortescue loaded 53 ships and 9.1m tonnes of iron ore at its Herb Elliott Port facilities at Port Hedland.
This compared with 6.3m tonnes in the 2008 December quarter, the miner’s latest production figures showed.
The volume was slightly less than the 10.3m tonnes shipped by the company in the September 2009 quarter.
Mined ore climbed to 9.2m tonnes from 8.5m tonnes in the corresponding period in 2008.
The volume of ore railed from Fortescue’s mines to Port Hedland rose to 9.7m tonnes from 6.1m tonnes in the December 2008 quarter.
“The current forecast for operations is for a continuation of the ramp up from 35m tonnes per annum,” Fortescue said.
“The company is targeting a run rate of 40m tonnes per annum.”
