Port Hedland operations suspended amid Tropical Cyclone Ilsa

Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is about to hit the Australian west coast Port Hedland and port operations have been suspended, according to Pilbara Ports Authority today’s update.

MAP: The projected path of Tropical Cyclone Ilsa. Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is projected to hit Port Hedland’s coastline later today. The cyclone has intensified into a severe category 5 storm with wind gusts of 143 knots, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said.

According to GAC Hot Port News, all berths and inner anchorages in Port Hedland have been shut and no vessel movement is currently allowed in the inner harbour.

Meanwhile, operations continue to run normally at the more sheltered ports of Dampier and Ashburton.

Port Hedland is a major iron ore exporting port. It achieved a throughput of 39.3 million mt bulk cargo in February, of which 38.8 million mt was iron ore exports.

By Nithin Chandran

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