SYDNEY, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Australia's Port Hedland reported on Thursday a 7 percent jump in iron ore shipments to China between September and October, underlining the resilience of Australia's burgeoning trade relationship with China.
Port Hedland, one of the country's two main iron ore export terminals, said shipments to China totalled 10.05 million tonnes in October, up from 9.4 million tonnes in September. China accounted for two-thirds of October's total iron ore shipments.
Overall, iron ore exports to all destinations from Port Hedland rose 2 percent between September and October.
Port Hedland handles production from mines owned by BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals Group in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The port is benefiting from the ramp-up of production from Fortescue, Australia's third-largest iron ore producer behind Rio Tinto, the biggest, and BHP Billiton.
Fortescue's output is rising to 45,000 tonnes a year and the miner sells exclusively to Chinese steel-makers. In the September quarter, it shipped 9.5 million tonnes, up from 8 million tonnes in the June quarter.
((Reporting by Mark Bendeich; editing by Bruce Hextall) (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) Keywords: AUSTRALIA IRONORE/HEDLAND

(mark.bendeich@thomsonreuters.com; +612 93731817; mark.bendeich.reuters.com@reuters.net)

COPYRIGHT

Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.