BHP Billiton Limited (ASX:BHP), Rio Tinto Limited (ASX:RIO) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX:FMG) are behind a bounce in shipments from Port Hedland last month.
The major miners use Port Hedland, which is Australia’s largest port in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and saw iron ore exports to China jump to a record 27 million metric tonnes in March.
The Port Hedland Port Authority reports total shipments gained 24 per cent to a record 34.4 million tonnes in March.
The figures come as the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics has predicted Australia is poised to boost its iron ore exports by a further 19 per cent this year.
While the price of iron ore is down more than 10 per cent for the year the steel making commodity rose over last week to post its largest gain in more than seven months.
Shares in BHP Billiton lifted 4.45 per cent over last week to end at $37.75.
BHP Billiton reported a net profit of $9.9 billion in the first half of the 2014 financial year.
