With 10.7+ million tonnes of freight already moved, our latest Trade Report highlights the vital role Tasmania’s ports play in keeping the supply chain moving.
Posted
21 May 2025
As we mark Australian Made Week, we’re proud to support the producers and exporters that help grow Tasmania’s economy.
With more than 10.7 million tonnes of freight already moved this Financial Year, TasPorts' Q3 YTD Trade Report highlights the vital role Tasmania’s ports play in keeping the supply chain moving.
PRIMARY PORTS OVERVIEW
Key commodities through the primary ports of Bell Bay, Burnie, Devonport, and Hobart include the importation of fuels and consumer goods and the export of forestry, mining, and industrial commodities. Notably, forestry exports have surpassed 2.5 million tonnes YTD (↑0.8%), with a small drop in demand for woodchips offset by an increase in log exports.
The Port of Burnie once again handled the largest volume of trade (34%) with a mix of forestry, fuels, general cargo and minerals transited. Industry confidence in Burnie remains strong, as evidenced by TasRail’s federally funded $82 million Shiploader Project, improving services for the mining industry.
The Port of Devonport remains the state's key port for containerised goods, with 49% of the market share transited. Overall, almost three million tonnes of freight have transited the port YTD, being 28% of the market share.
By comparison, the Port of Bell Bay handled only 5% of containerised units for domestic and international export, however, overall tonnage transited was more than 2.6 million tonnes, highlighting the port's role as a key facilitator of forestry exports.
The Port of Hobart continues to play an essential role as Australia's home port for Antarctic exploration and scientific research, supporting the AAP's RSV Nuyina, CSIRO's Investigator and the French icebreaker l'Astrolabe, as well as visiting vessels. To the end of March more than 80 cruise vessels visited the port, cementing its reputation as Tasmania's most popular cruise destination, with a total of 126 visits YTD to the state.
CONTAINERISED FREIGHT
More than 457,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of freight have moved through Tasmania’s ports this financial year — underscoring the importance of reliable infrastructure to our state’s exporters and supply chains.
Key ports for containerised goods include Devonport and Burnie, with Bell Bay a key node for international containerised transits.
YTD figures note the exportation of more than 12,000 TEUs of dairy, alongside almost 17,000 TEU of fruit and vegetables.
In terms of tonnage, this equates to more than 178,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables and 153,000 tonnes of dairy — a clear sign of the ongoing demand for Tasmanian-made and grown produce.
In marking Australian Made Week, we acknowledge the industries, producers and logistics networks that continue to connect Tasmania with global markets.
The FY25 Q3 YTD Trade Report can be accessed here.