Rio Tinto connects the Pilbara to Asia with new direct freight shipping service
February 18 2021 - 5:00PM
Business Wire
Rio Tinto has secured a new commercial freight shipping service
connecting Western Australia’s Pilbara region to the major
international shipping hub of Singapore. The service will provide
the company with a quicker, cheaper and cleaner alternative to the
existing freight delivery route via Perth, helping to drive
regional economic development and local job creation.
The regular freight service commenced with the arrival of the
MCP Graz at the Port of Dampier from Singapore today. The vessel
delivered essential maintenance supplies for Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s
operations in the Pilbara, including rail wagon wheels, wagon
parts, oil and lubricants. Future shipments are expected to include
tyres for heavy earth moving equipment, conveyor belts, rail wagon
and locomotive parts and mining consumables.
The service is also open for use by local businesses in the
north-west of Australia, providing companies operating in the
region with better access to international markets and more
efficient movement of freight.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore managing director of Port, Rail and Core
Services, Richard Cohen, said, “This is an important new service
that connects the Pilbara to the rest of the world via the major
international shipping hub of Singapore. It will provide a number
of benefits by delivering cheaper, cleaner and faster freight to
the region.
“It is an important breakthrough not only for our business, but
it will also provide a great opportunity for the local Pilbara
economy by helping to unlock small business growth and supporting
job creation.”
Rio Tinto expects the service to reduce the lead-time for goods
in to the Pilbara by six to 10 days compared with freight via
Fremantle. Additionally, it’s expected to provide an annual saving
of around three million litres of diesel fuel by reducing road
train travel from Perth by more than 3.8 million kilometres.
Over time, Rio Tinto is hopeful that more than 50 per cent of
its freight requirements to the Pilbara will utilise this service,
increasing the speed of delivery and lowering costs. The vessel
capacity of the freight service will be 350 TEUs (twenty-foot
equivalent) with Toll Global Forwarding and other freight
forwarders offering a service for smaller volumes on the
vessel.
Peter Stokes, President Global Logistics Toll Group, said, “This
dedicated container vessel service from Singapore to Dampier will
enable enormous possibilities to deliver more efficient supply
chains to the Pilbara region.
“Toll Group is heavily invested in the north of Western
Australia and is one of the largest employers in the Pilbara
region. We are proud to be partnering with Rio Tinto on this
landmark project which will provide businesses in the north with a
significant opportunity to access international imports and
exports.”
Viva Energy, the supplier of fuels and lubricants and supply
partner to Rio Tinto, expects to reduce its road transport travel
by 350,000 kilometres a year through use of the new service.
Viva Energy Sales Manager Gavin Syminton said, “Over and above
any commercial benefits there are also a number of other positive
aspects to the initiative including increased opportunities for
local employment through infrastructure investment, the reduction
of our carbon footprint and, a shorter, more efficient supply
chain. As we continue to work closely with Rio Tinto we hope to
further connect our business and community through this opportunity
while making the region a more sustainable place to live.”
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210218006066/en/
media.enquiries@riotinto.com riotinto.com
Follow @RioTinto on Twitter
Media Relations, United Kingdom Illtud Harri M +44 7920
503 600
David Outhwaite T +44 20 7781 1623 M +44 7787 597 493
Media Relations, Americas Matthew Klar T +1 514 608
4429
Media Relations, Asia Grant Donald T +65 6679 9290 M +65
9722 6028
Media Relations, Australia Jonathan Rose T +61 3 9283
3088 M +61 447 028 913
Matt Chambers T +61 3 9283 3087 M +61 433 525 739
Jesse Riseborough T +61 8 6211 6013 M +61 436 653 412
Investor Relations, United Kingdom Menno Sanderse T: +44
20 7781 1517 M: +44 7825 195 178
David Ovington T +44 20 7781 2051 M +44 7920 010 978
Clare Peever M: +44 7788 967 877
Investor Relations, Australia Natalie Worley T +61 3 9283
3063 M +61 409 210 462
Amar Jambaa T +61 3 9283 3627 M +61 4 7286 5948
Rio Tinto plc 6 St James’s Square London SW1Y 4AD United
Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885
Rio Tinto Limited Level 7, 360 Collins Street Melbourne
3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004
458 404
Category: General
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024