WA iron ore export terminals clear ahead of cyclone

Port Hedland and Port Dampier in Western Australia (WA) have been cleared ahead of a cyclone set to make landfall tomorrow. This will be the second time that iron ore shipments have been slowed by storms this cyclone season.

Cyclone Damien, which formed off the WA coast on 6 February, is set to make coastal landfall between the ports of Dampier and Hedland on 8 February, according to Australia's bureau of meteorology.

Port Dampier was shut at 12:00 Pilbara time (04:00 GMT) on 7 February, in line with the fourth stage of the Pilbara Ports Authority's cyclone response procedure. Port Hedland and Port Dampier had been cleared as part of its stage-three response. It is unclear how long the port shutdown will last.

Heavy rain forecast for this weekend is likely to cause flooding in the Pilbara iron ore-producing region in northwest WA.

More than 90pc of Australia's iron ore exports come from Pilbara mines, shipped mostly through Port Hedland and Port Dampier.

The cyclone season runs between November and the end of April. WA was struck by Cyclone Blake last month, but escaped a hit by Cyclone Claudia.

The port shutdown comes as 14-day quarantines for vessels leaving mainland China threaten further delays. The 14-day count begins when the vessels leave China, but iron ore vessels typically take 13 days for the journey. The quarantine period will restart if any crew member shows symptoms during the trip.

By Chris Newman