From Kimberley Station to Southeast Asian Market

From Kimberley Station to Southeast Asian Market

The Kimberley has been moving cattle to Southeast Asian markets for decades. For producers across the West Kimberley, East Kimberley and Pilbara, Broome is the natural export gateway, and geography is a large part of why.

In 2025, more than 93,000 head of cattle were exported through Broome*, making it Australia’s second-largest live cattle export port. The result reflects both the strength of the northern cattle industry and the strategic role Broome plays in connecting producers with Southeast Asian markets.

Shorter sailing distances mean less time at sea, lower feed and water consumption on voyage, and cattle arriving at destination in better condition. For exporters, that’s a direct input into cost per head, voyage risk, and animal welfare outcomes.

For exporters, certainty matters. Vessel schedules, livestock movements and loading programs are planned well in advance, making reliable berth access a critical part of a successful export season.

Congestion risk, tidal constraints, and competing vessel demands have historically added uncertainty to Broome’s export schedule. KMSB Terminal 2 addresses that directly, a dedicated facility within the Port of Broome, with its own deep-water berth, causeway and quayside operations.

The KMSB wharf is tide-independent. Across a 10-metre tidal range, vessels berth and load without schedule constraints, removing one of the variables that has added uncertainty to Broome’s export windows. The causeway and wharf are built to handle triple road trains at full configuration. Cattle transports drive straight to quayside and load directly onto the vessel, no breakdown to doubles required. Standard vessel services run concurrently with loading, with full-time staffing and flood lighting supporting continuous operations throughout the port call.

For exporters with vessels already working Broome, berthing at KMSB adds scheduling flexibility and reduces congestion risk during peak season when berth demand is highest and the cost of delays runs through the entire chain.

The Kimberley live export industry is growing. KMSB provides the berthing capacity, road access and 24/7 operations to support it.

*Source: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry export statistics / Port of Broome export data (2025).