THE Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) Board has approved a $670 million coal loading expansion at the company’s Kooragang Island port terminal.
According to PWCS, it will help manage the ongoing demand for Hunter Valley coal and honour long term coal export contracts recently signed by PWCS and Hunter Valley coal producers
The works are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011 in order for PWCS to meet its contractual obligation of handling 123.6 million tonnes in 2012 while preliminary planning for this expansion have been underway since mid 2008.
The works which will take place include:
•A new 330 metre coal loading berth (known as ‘K7’), and associated dredging
•The extension of two key coal stockpiling pads (where coal is stored ahead of being conveyed and loaded onto vessels)
•The replacement of two coal stacking machines (machines that stack coal into piles on the stockpiling pads)
•The deconstruction of redundant stackers
•New coal conveying equipment
PWCS chairman Michael Harvey says the latest commitment set the scene for PWCS to honour Newcastle’s Long Term Contractual Framework arrangements, which came into effect on January 1.
“PWCS played a leading role with industry participants and the New South Wales
Government seeing the Long Term Contractual Framework to fruition, and the onus is now on us to keep building new terminal infrastructure as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Harvey says.
“Given that PWCS has signed contracts with producers, we are in a far better position to expand terminal infrastructure in a more accurate and timely manner.”
Add a comment