Western Australia’s largest woodchip export terminal is in line for a major upgrade following a $25 million acquisition by one of the nation’s biggest logistics firms.
Qube Bulk bought Albany Bulk Handling’s woodchip export terminal from Brookfield-backed Linx Cargo Care and Japan’s Itochu Corporation in July.
The purchase includes a stockyard, conveyor and ship loader on land leased from Southern Ports at the Port of Albany.
About 1 million tonnes of woodchips are exported from the terminal each year.
A line in Qube’s annual report noted potential to diversify the terminal to handle mineral sands, spodumene and grain, and to “significantly” increase volume handled by the facility.
Qube Bulk director Todd Emmert said Albany was a critical gateway for the Great Southern.
“Qube’s acquisition of the ABH terminal provides an opportunity for Qube Bulk to leverage our skill, experience and expertise across a range of commodities to upgrade the facilities so they are capable of servicing new markets,” he said.
“We look forward to working with the port authority and current and new customers as we progress planning and begin writing an exciting new chapter for this facility.”
Qube would become the third company to enter the grain export business via Albany should its plans be realised.
CBH Group is by far the biggest player, and Gnowangerup farmer Alan Richardson’s Commodity Ag began exporting grain last year.
About 955,000 tonnes of woodchips were exported from Albany in the 2024 financial year.
Grain accounted for more than 3.7Mt of exports from Albany, and silica sands about 250,000t.
Spodumene concentrate from the nearest operating lithium mine to Albany, Greenbushes, is exported via Bunbury.
Spodumene from Mt Cattlin was exported from Esperance prior to the mine’s closure in 2024.
