News, Ports, Supply Chain

Unique export at Port of Esperance

The Port of Esperance is the only regional port in WA to have a container crane. Image: Southern Ports

Southern Ports has showcased its adaptability by exporting around 33,000 tonnes of sulphur from the Port of Esperance.

The sulphur, stockpiled at the Port since First Quantum Minerals’ announcement last year to put its Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine into care and maintenance, was loaded on the Jersey Spirit.

Southern Ports CEO Keith Wilks said the Port worked closely with FQM to facilitate this unique shipment.

“Doing our very best for customers to find ways to facilitate their trade is important to us, even if it means doing things differently or finding new solutions from far and wide,” says Keith.

“Through this process we’ve developed a new export approach for sulphur, taking advantage of our existing container crane and bringing in connecting rotating container technology from over east.”

“While it’s a little unusual for us to be exporting sulphur, this has shown our capability to export small bulk quantities of all kinds.”

Southern Ports previously imported between 225,000 and 295,000 tonnes of sulphur each year for the Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine.

It has been eight years since the last export of sulphur, which relied heavily on ship cranes rather than the Port of Esperance’s crane.

The Port of Esperance is the only regional port in WA to have a container crane.

Southern Ports has invested $11.9 million over the past five years into its Berth 2 and container crane assets where it imports sulphur and fertiliser, and exports nickel, copper concentrate and spodumene.

The Jersey Spirit arrived at the Port of Esperance Wednesday 22 January and has now departed for the Port of Qingdao.

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