Global miner BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) shipped 11.12 million metric tons of iron ore out of its key Western Australian state port in May, according to the Port Hedland Port Authority website.

In the same month, competitor Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (FMG.AU) shipped 2.27 million tons, the Authority said Tuesday.

The total shipments from the Port were 13.39 million tons, up 18% on the 11.33 million tons exported in April, and also well up on year-ago shipments, in May 2008, of 11.79 million tons.

At the peak of the China-driven boom, in June 2008, BHP alone shipped 12.26 million tons out of Port Hedland.

-By Stephen Bell, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires; 61-8-9244-4243; sgbell@bigpond.com