Australia iron ore hub Port Hedland clears vessels after weather warning

Adds detail, background, pars 2-5

By Alasdair Pal

SYDNEY, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The operator of Australia's iron ore export hub Port Hedland said on Tuesday it had started clearing vessels from the port after a weather warning from the Bureau of Meteorology.

A tropical low pressure weather system is expected to slowly move toward the south or southwest before heading southeast on Thursday or Friday, Pilbara Ports said in a statement.

Port Hedland is used by BHP Group BHP.AX, Fortescue FMG.AX and billionaire Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting.

It is the world's largest bulk export port. Shipments from the port include iron ore, lithium and salt.

Rio Tinto's RIO.L operations, 250 km (155 miles) southwest of Port Hedland have been impacted twice during the current tropical cyclone season, which runs from November to end-April.