The Port Hedland Port Authority shipped 14.41 million metric tons of iron ore in September, according to an update on its Web site Wednesday.

The exports were up 1.3% on the August total of 14.22 million tons, and up 28% on the year-ago exports, in September 2008, of 11.08 million tons, the authority said.

The authority did not provide individual break downs for major port users BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (FMG.AU).

September exports to China, the world's biggest iron ore importer, fell 4.5% from August to 9.38 million tons, well off the recent peak of 11.1 million tons recorded in the month of July.

Exports to Japan rose 47% to 2.35 million tons in September.

Port Hedland is BHP's key Australian iron ore port but the global miner is seeking a joint venture with competitor Rio Tinto Ltd. (RTP), which exports iron ore from Dampier and Cape Lambert.

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