China's iron ore imports fell to 65.54 million tonnes in January, down 7.6 percent from the previous month's record high, customs data showed on Friday, as steel mills slowed purchases after prices spiked to a 15-month peak.
Supply disruptions caused by a cyclone in Australia also curbed shipments of the key steelmaking raw material to the world's top consumer, traders said.
Restocking by Chinese steel mills and a firmer outlook for steel demand in 2013 boosted iron ore prices to a 15-month high of $158.50 a tonne on Jan. 8, according to the Steel Index data provider.
A tropical storm in late January disrupted operations at Australia's Port Hedland, which ships a fifth of global ore seaborne trade, limiting supplies.
Shipments of ore from the major terminal, used by BHP Billiton, Fortescue Metals Group and Atlas Iron to ship ore, fell to 18.38 million tonnes in January from a record 20.23 million tonnes the month before.
China's iron ore imports hit a record high of 70.94 million tonnes in December, bringing the full-year figure to 743.6 million tonnes, also a fresh record level.
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