The cargo vessel “Ocean Premier” sailed from Port Hedland in early May with the most valuable single cargo ever to depart from the port - some 21,000 tonnes of copper concentrates from Newcrest’s Telfer mine in the East Pilbara. It was Newcrest’s 65th shipment of the valuable resource from Port Hedland since 1991 and the fourth this year following commissioning of the new plant at Telfer. “Locally, the trade has brought significant employment to the region and to the Town of Port Hedland,” said the Port Authority’s Chief Executive, Ian Hutton.

“Following the construction of new facilities in the port, the move to production has seen the establishment of a new fleet of trucks to transport the product from the mine. Other personnel and plant have been established in Port Hedland to load the concentrates.” Newcrest contractor Ngarda Civil and Mining currently employs seven Indigenous operators at the Company’s storage facility at the port to assist in preparing the product for loading and shipment. Newcrest’s loading facility Logistics
Coordinator Sam Booth was full of praise for the men. “They are a good bunch of blokes, experienced and conscientious,” he said. “They know what needs to be done, and they do it efficiently.”