Canola record for Albany port zone

Growers across the Albany port zone have so far contributed a record-breaking 3,634,505 tonnes to CBH's biggest season in its 80-year history, with more than 15,850,259 tonnes of grain received Statewide.

Just shy of 60,000 tonnes of the canola delivered to the Albany Port during harvest sailed out of King George Sound on January 25 - the biggest canola shipment ever.

Albany Port Authority chief executive Brad Williamson said the shipment, bound for Belgium aboard the Yasa H. Mulla, topped the previous canola shipment record of 56,700 tonnes in March 2008 and also the previous largest load of any cargo to leave the port since 58,000 tonnes of barley set sail in February 1994.

Mr Williamson said it was uncommon to see such large cargos, but following the bumper harvest CBH had a big shipping task ahead of it and was maximising loads.

"It is great to see them handling such an enormous freight task … it is a huge job and it is good to see it all happening. It is also great to see the port can handle large loads efficiently and the harvest moving for the farmers," he said.

"Up until late December the shipping was a bit slow but now it is really starting to ramp up … we are really starting to move the harvest now with some speed."

Mr Williamson said it took three-and-a-half days to load the record-breaking canola cargo onto the vessel.

The next large shipment of canola, of 55,000 tonnes, left Albany Port this week aboard the Argolis, bound for Belgium.

Another 55,000 tonnes is scheduled to follow aboard the Guo Dian this Thursday, on its way to Esperance to load more grain.