Port of Newcastle (PON) has recorded its strongest diversified trade performance to date, with more than 11.12 million tonnes of non-coal cargo passing through the port in 2025. This milestone surpasses the previous record of 10.13 million tonnes set in 2021, driven by a surge in wheat exports and project cargo for regional renewable energy projects.

The port handled 2,340 vessel visits throughout the year, including 574 non-coal vessels and nine cruise ships. While coal continues to underpin a significant portion of trade with 149 million tonnes exported, the growth in other sectors reflects a long-term strategy to broaden the regional trade base.

CEO of Port of Newcastle, Craig Carmody said the record result demonstrates the port’s expanding role in supporting agricultural supply chains and the energy transition.

“These volumes reflect the progress we are making towards a more diversified and sustainable future for our port and our region,” Craig said.

“Surpassing 11.12 million tonnes marks an important milestone and reinforces our commitment to broadening our trade base.”

Wheat exports increased 396 per cent year-on-year to reach 2.9 million tonnes, supported by favourable seasonal conditions across northern cropping regions. Exports of meals and grain to the UAE, Bangladesh, Japan and Vietnam also grew 19 per cent on 2024 volumes to exceed one million tonnes.

Craig said the port now handles 25 different cargo types, including aluminium, cement, fuels, fertiliser and steel.

“We have seen particularly strong demand for the import and export of machinery and project cargo, with more than 431,000 tonnes moving through the port in 2025,” Craig said.

“A major contributor to this was the arrival of wind turbine components for the Uungula Wind Farm within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.”

The port serves as a logistics hub for both government and private renewable energy projects. Craig said that as markets in Asia continue to diversify, the port remains a critical energy gateway while evolving to meet the needs of the cleaner energy sector.

“Over the next decade, this will not only contribute to ongoing diversification but play an essential role in powering the nation’s transformation,” Craig said.

In total, Port of Newcastle handled more than 160 million tonnes of cargo across its operations in 2025.

IMAGE | Port of Newcastle (PON) records its strongest diversified trade performance to date