LNG-fuelled bulker pair to serve Pilbara iron ore export route

Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) has confirmed that two newbuild bulk carriers will be used to transport Pilbara iron ore to South Korea on a new service that will see a total of 10 round trips being made each year out of the Port of Port Hedland.

The vessels each have a deadweight of 180,000 tonnes and two stern fuel tanks capable of storing 1,600 cubic metres of LNG. Construction of the newbuildings was completed in December 2020 at an unnamed South Korean shipyard.

PPA expects that the use of LNG-fuelled ships will help reduce particulate matter and nitrogen emissions by as much as 95 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively, on the Australia – Korea iron ore export route.