The first shipment by new Southern Ports customer Yilgarn Iron Investments out of the Port of Esperance is delivering new jobs and renewed activity in the region.
 
Minister for Ports Stephen Dawson MLC announced that 176,000 tonnes of iron ore had been successfully loaded onto the MV Densa Shark during a five-day operation before it departed for China on Saturday.
 
Yilgarn Iron joins Gold Valley as the second customer utilising the Port’s iron ore circuit.
 
Its first shipment comes less than 12 months after Mineral Resources final export from its Koolyanobbing operations, which were acquired by Yilgarn Iron in June this year.
 
Southern Ports Chief Executive Officer Keith Wilks said having Yilgarn Iron on board as a second iron ore customer was a great result.
 
“Two customers using our iron ore infrastructure means more volume and more shipments from our Port of Esperance, which ultimately means more hours for our workforce on the ground,” he said.
 
"Trade losses are never easy to weather, but by proactively pursuing opportunities to diversify our customer base and commodity throughput we continue to be a reliable partner creating enduring value across our regions."
 
At full production, Yilgarn Iron is targeting annual exports of more than four million tonnes, supporting the creation of up to 15 new operational roles at the Port of Esperance in early 2026 and increasing the port's operations workforce by more than a third.
 
Yilgarn Iron Investments Managing Director Fergus Campbell visited the Port to watch the loading of the first shipment.
 
“This is a fantastic milestone for Yilgarn Iron Pty Ltd, the Yilgarn region and in particular the communities of Southern Cross and Esperance,” he said.
 
“Exporting our first 176,000 tonnes within less than four months of assuming control of the Yilgarn Iron Ore project is a testament to our hardworking and dedicated team, as well as to our suppliers and service providers, including Southern Ports and Aurizon.”
 
Minister for Ports Stephen Dawson MLC said having more customers at the Port led to real benefits and local jobs which “reflects Southern Ports’ continued progress in diversifying its trade across the State's southern regions.”