Up to 13Mt of Qld coking coal exports to be delayed

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Between 12-million and 13-million tonnes of coking coal exports will likely be delayed from Queensland, following ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan has said a further two-million to three-million tonnes of thermal coal exports may also be delayed, although these numbers could potentially change as the impact of Debbie is better understood.

He added that early assessments have indicated that the Queensland resources sector should be able to absorb the impact of the cyclone.

“While there has been some damage to coal haulage rail lines that transport coking coal to the Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point coal terminals, the majority of mines should be able to stay open and stockpile production.

“At the moment, the expectation is that they will then be in a position to make up for the lost transport time over the next few months.

“This is in contrast to the impacts from Cyclone Yasi in 2011, where mine production was significantly disrupted and about 26-million tonnes of coal exports were lost,” Canavan said.

Freight hauler Aurizon has warned that it could take another four weeks to clear and repair its Goonyella rail line, following Debbie.

The rail line transported some 118-million tonnes of coking coal for export in 2016.

Aurizon has previously said the company would examine alternative routing opportunities for its impacted customers and rail operators as its other rail systems became available in the coming weeks, from the western section of the Goonyella system, north to the Newlands system to Abbot point coal terminal, and south to the Port of Gladstone.