PERTH -(Dow Jones)- The Port Hedland Port Authority shipped 14.71 million metric tons of iron ore in October, according to an update on the Authority's website Friday.
The exports were up 2% from September's total of 14.41 million tons, and up 43% on a year earlier when exports totaled 10.24 million tons, the authority said.
The Authority did not provide individual breakdowns for major port users BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (FMG.AU).
Exports to China, the world's biggest iron ore importer, rose 7% to 10.05 million tons, remaining below the recent peak of 11.1 million tons in July.
Exports to Japan fell 6% to 2.2 million tons in October.
Port Hedland is BHP's key Australian iron ore port, but the global miner is seeking a joint venture with competitor Rio Tinto (RTP), which exports iron ore from Dampier and Cape Lambert.
-By Stephen Bell, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires; 61-8-9244-4243; sgbell@bigpond.com