News

Budget in ship shape

July was a good start to the financial year for BHP Billiton Iron Ore with mining (OFR), railing and shipping all finishing above budget for the month.

Outflow performance (shiploading and shipping) was lifted through improved gross loading rates at Nelson Point, as well as continued good performance from the West Yard.

Inflow (railing ore to the port and getting it on the stockpiles) was good overall, although there were some ongoing issues with Car Dumper 1 during the month.

Luckily, these issues were offset by the excellent performance of Car Dumpers 3 and 4. However, this has led to an imbalance in stock levels between Nelson Point and West Yard (Finucane Island), with some individual product stock very high at West Yard and low at Nelson Point.

In August and September the most significant event from a supply chain perspective will be the commissioning of Stacker 11, Reclaimer 8 and Shiploader 3 at East Yard, Finucane Island.

When Shiploader 3 comes online in October the company will see a step-up in shiploading capability.

The RGP3 finishing line is close.

From late October the company will have all four car dumpers and four shiploaders commissioned.

There will be a few shiploader shuts towards the end of the year, but it’s full steam ahead from December.

Area C will be ramping up over this period.

Ore coming into the port will make it onto the ships very quickly; there won’t be much build up of stock.

The supply chain will need the mines to continue to produce and rail to keep the ore moving into Port.

In the meantime, anything that can be done to increase stock at the port in the lead up to the four dumper/four shiploader world will set us up nicely for the second half of YEJ08.

For more information, contact Dan Flynn or Scott Davis, Integrated Planning.

*By Sue Griffin, Communications Specialist, Technical Services and Integrated Planning for BHP Billiton Iron Ore. This article was first published in Oresome (September 2007, Volume 017) – an internal company publication published by BHP Billiton Iron Ore.

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