Nick Evans, The West Australian
August 16, 2012
Iron ore miners that fail to export their full allocation through Port Hedland could lose their shipping rights under a major change to the port's rules introduced this month.
In what is understood to be the first step towards formalising a long-awaited "use it or lose it" policy at WA's major iron ore port, the Port Hedland Port Authority earlier this month issued an update to its Vessel Movement Protocols, including a new clause that would allow companies to send additional carriers through the shipping channel if rivals fell below their allocated capacity for the month.
"If in any one calendar month a shipper completes the export of all of its allocated monthly capacity that shipper for the remainder of the month may be able to access further export capacity under these protocols," the document said. "Should any shipper not achieve its allocated monthly capacity in a given calendar month, such capacity is lost unless otherwise agreed in writing by PHPA."
Iron ore exports from Port Hed land are constrained not only by ownership of hotly-contested berth space, but by access to the increasingly congested shipping channel. The changes would not affect berth allocation, and a spokesperson for Transport Minister Troy Buswell said the new protocols were designed to ensure that the additional tonnages were "distributed equitably and do not impair the ability of other exporters to achieve their monthly allocation".
A port spokesman said tonnages would be "continuously monitored by the PHPA throughout the month" and additional opportunities arising would be allocated on a "turn of arrival" basis.
While the shipping channel is not yet understood to be at its full capacity, it will be by 2014 to 2015. Fortescue Metals Group and BHP will have ramped up exports and will be joined by Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill mine, with a 55 million-tonne-a-year allocation, and by the planned opening of the 50mtpa North West Infrastructure berths granted to Atlas Iron, Atlas subsidiary FerrAus and Brockman Resources. Atlas managing director Ken Brinsden said the new rules would likely have little impact for several years, until Port Hedland's channel reached full capacity. He said Atlas was comfortable with PHPA allowing extra ship movements on an opportunistic basis.
Other iron ore juniors are understood to see the move as a win for major port users BHP and FMG. They have the infrastructure in place to pick up additional tonnage from smaller companies that meet operational difficulties, and are facing harbour capacity constraints of their own. The new rules could also resolve some of the tension between FMG and analysts who had questioned whether the company could export 155mtpa from its existing four berths.
While the State Government had previously warned off the PHPA from looking to squeeze space from North West Infrastructure sources say some juniors are concerned the establishment of any form of common tonnage pool, even over shipping lane use on an opportunistic basis, could set a precedent for further encroachment on allocations.
August 16, 2012
Iron ore miners that fail to export their full allocation through Port Hedland could lose their shipping rights under a major change to the port's rules introduced this month.
In what is understood to be the first step towards formalising a long-awaited "use it or lose it" policy at WA's major iron ore port, the Port Hedland Port Authority earlier this month issued an update to its Vessel Movement Protocols, including a new clause that would allow companies to send additional carriers through the shipping channel if rivals fell below their allocated capacity for the month.
"If in any one calendar month a shipper completes the export of all of its allocated monthly capacity that shipper for the remainder of the month may be able to access further export capacity under these protocols," the document said. "Should any shipper not achieve its allocated monthly capacity in a given calendar month, such capacity is lost unless otherwise agreed in writing by PHPA."
Iron ore exports from Port Hed land are constrained not only by ownership of hotly-contested berth space, but by access to the increasingly congested shipping channel. The changes would not affect berth allocation, and a spokesperson for Transport Minister Troy Buswell said the new protocols were designed to ensure that the additional tonnages were "distributed equitably and do not impair the ability of other exporters to achieve their monthly allocation".
A port spokesman said tonnages would be "continuously monitored by the PHPA throughout the month" and additional opportunities arising would be allocated on a "turn of arrival" basis.
While the shipping channel is not yet understood to be at its full capacity, it will be by 2014 to 2015. Fortescue Metals Group and BHP will have ramped up exports and will be joined by Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill mine, with a 55 million-tonne-a-year allocation, and by the planned opening of the 50mtpa North West Infrastructure berths granted to Atlas Iron, Atlas subsidiary FerrAus and Brockman Resources. Atlas managing director Ken Brinsden said the new rules would likely have little impact for several years, until Port Hedland's channel reached full capacity. He said Atlas was comfortable with PHPA allowing extra ship movements on an opportunistic basis.
Other iron ore juniors are understood to see the move as a win for major port users BHP and FMG. They have the infrastructure in place to pick up additional tonnage from smaller companies that meet operational difficulties, and are facing harbour capacity constraints of their own. The new rules could also resolve some of the tension between FMG and analysts who had questioned whether the company could export 155mtpa from its existing four berths.
While the State Government had previously warned off the PHPA from looking to squeeze space from North West Infrastructure sources say some juniors are concerned the establishment of any form of common tonnage pool, even over shipping lane use on an opportunistic basis, could set a precedent for further encroachment on allocations.
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