How Pilbara Ports is helping customers achieve their sustainability goals

Last financial year, 758.3 million tonnes of trade passed through the Pilbara Ports’, cementing a major year for the company, in which it handled more than 80 percent of Western Australia’s iron ore trade, and 43 percent of global iron ore exports.

Valued at around $173 billion, the trade – which was primarily handled by its facilities in the Port of Hedland and Port of Dampier – smashed the organisation’s own record for trade volume, for the fifth year running.

But while this growth may be cause for celebration, it is not cause for complacency, according to Executive General Manager Customer and Strategy, Karlene Bylund.

Ms Bylund says Pilbara Ports is on a mission to drive major efficiencies across the business; in turn, helping customers achieve their own growth goals.

“Our customers’ needs are changing, and we want to engage deeply with them as they grow and diversify their business as well as adapt to new priorities, like decarbonisation,” Ms Bylund said, ahead of the Heavy Haul Conference.

So what is the organisation doing on this front?

Building purpose-built infrastructure

Pilbara Ports is currently building two new general cargo berths in Port Hedland in a bid to support new commodities and trade growth, particularly renewable project cargo such as wind turbines and critical minerals.

“These are the first general cargo berths we have built in Port Hedland in more than thirty years; and it’s critical infrastructure for us to support customers – new and existing – who are utilising our infrastructure to diversify trade beyond what we have previously supported,” Ms Bylund said.

“We’ve got a growing number of commodities like lithium and wind turbine blades that will come through our Lumsden facility; and so this new site is a perfect example of how we are working with our customers to understand their requirements and build fit for purpose infrastructure, at the right time.”

Focussing on mine to port solutions

In addition to the port facilities, the organisation is working with a broad range of stakeholders to understand the surrounding infrastructure in the hinterland to help customers with their mine-to-port requirements.

“We need to have the right connections for our customers, and so we are focussed on ensuring that our port facilities connect in with the infrastructure required in several strategic industrial areas, which are located just outside ours ports,” Ms Bylund said.

“For example, in Ashburton, we’re expecting there will be an increasing demobilisation trade. So we are making sure we’re ready and able to support that trade as it comes online. Likewise, we’re looking at the Ashburton Strategic Industrial area and how customers granted land allocations will connect into the Port facilities.”

Deep customer engagement

Pilbara Ports recently established a dedicated customer team, to support deep engagement with its customers and support their evolving needs, amid changing market dynamics.

“We are working closely with them to understand their requirements, priorities, and markets; what their trade volumes will be and, in turn, what they will require in terms of infrastructure and services in the future.”

“We already know our customers are dealing with strict decarbonisation targets and deadlines and that many have their own projects underway for renewable imports to build their own clean energy facilities. So this is about understanding their practical requirements. Making sure that, from a port perspective, we have the right services and infrastructure to facilitate their projects.”

Acknowledging the challenges around scope 3 emissions, and the growth of renewables as solution, Ms Bylund says she is keen to partner with customers on a number of fronts.

“When you look at scope 3 emissions for our customers, it all points to the need for a maritime industry shift to lower carbon fuel – and that feeds into the work that we are doing in partnership with our customers around the Pilbara clean fuels bunkering hub,” she said.

“Currently, there is no other Pilbara clean fuels bunkering hub opportunity for them. So in connecting up our customers and suppliers – and aggregating demand – we are facilitating an outcome which is very much within the ports remit to support.

“We see this need for demand aggregation more and more in our customer dealings. So it’s great to actually partner with them, work through the risks in delivery and then practically break down those barriers and achieve success together.”

New internal teams

Alongside a dedicated customer team, Ms Bylund now also has several new teams under her leadership.

“I’ve got a dedicated strategy team, which will help us identify those strategic priority areas for our near- and longer-term horizons and shape the future direction of Pilbara Ports. Also, a dedicated critical port services team, to ensure stability and resilience in our critical port services.

“Each team will help us deliver on our priorities, and better understand the changing market dynamics, enablers and disruptors in our supply chain.”

Further insight

Sharing more on Pilbara Ports’strategy, Ms Bylund with present at the upcoming Heavy Haul Rail Conference, hosted by Informa.

Conversations this year will focus on developments in innovation, collaboration, maintenance & asset management, technology, safety, and operations.

Heavy Haul Rail 2025 will be co-located with Rail Turnouts and Rail Signalling. Take advantage of our exclusive 20% discount offer to attend both Heavy Haul Rail and either Rail Turnouts or Rail Signalling. Further discounts are available to those who qualify for the Young Rail Professionals rate.

Register your tickets at Heavy Haul Rail here.

About Karlene Byland

Karlene Byland is Executive General Manager, Customer and Strategy at Pilbara Ports. She joined the organisation in 2010, serving in property and commercial management roles before being appointed Director Commercial from October 2017. In June 2020 she was appointed General Manager Port Hedland Maritime Precinct, before taking on the role of General Manager Customer and Strategy in July 2023.

Ms Bylund is responsible for customer relationships (including commercial leasing and contractual arrangements), enterprise strategy, port planning and development, and critical port services. She also leads Hedland Maritime Initiative (HMI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pilbara Ports, which is responsible for the administration of the Port Hedland Voluntary Buy-Back Scheme.

Ms Bylund has extensive experience in commercial management and corporate governance, including critical infrastructure and service provider projects, major tendering and procurement activities.