Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue is maintaining full-year iron ore guidance after shipping almost 50 million tonnes in the three months to the end of September — a record for a first quarter.

The Pilbara major exported 49.7mt in the period, including 2.1mt from its trouble-plagued Iron Bridge magnetite operation — up 4 per cent on the same time a year earlier.

It said it was sticking with its full-year forecast of between 195mt and 205mt. That includes between 10mt and 20mt from Iron Bridge.

Fortescue Metals chief executive Dino Otranto said it had been a strong start to the new financial year.

“We reached important milestones this quarter, including the successful syndication of a Renminbi-denominated term loan and the establishment of new global partnerships that will help drive our profit

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