Rail freight provider Aurizon (formerly QR National) says it is working to contain the impact of Cyclone Oswald on its customers
By Anna Game-Lopata | January 29, 2013
Rail freight provider Aurizon (formerly QR National) says it is working to contain the impact of Cyclone Oswald.
A spokesperson has told SupplyChain Review
the company, which manages the Central Queensland Coal Network is working on recovering the areas affected by Tropical Cyclone Oswald as soon as possible.
Made up of 2,670 kilometres of heavy haul rail infrastructure, the Central Queensland Coal Network is one of the world’s largest and most complex supply chains
Aurizon says its Newlands and Goonyella systems in the central and north regions of the Bowen Basin are no longer affected by floods.
However
the 985 km Blackwater network, the largest of Aurizon’s four coal systems and carrying the second highest tonnages, remains closed.
Consisting of 228 km of track, the Moura system west of Gladstone is also closed.
“Aurizon cannot fully assess some locations because the rail line is still under water,
however the current expectation is that the Moura and Blackwater systems
will be re-opened within 7 – 10 days,” the spokesperson says.
“Aurizon is working with all members of the supply chain on recovery efforts and will be liaising with individual customers on their specific requirements.”
Queensland Rail’s West Moreton corridor, west of Brisbane, on which Aurizon operates coal trains, has also been affected by line closures.
Aurizon’s freight operations along the Queensland coast from Brisbane to Cairns have been interrupted because of flooding of the Queensland Rail network.
“However Aurizon is currently meeting customer requirements by road transport to Mackay, and further north by rail,” the spokesperson says.
While it is too early to estimate the extent of the damage to the rail freight network by this year’s event, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority estimates 29 percent of Queensland’s rail network was damaged in the 2011 floods disaster.
Fifty four coal mines were affected amounting to 15 million tonnes of coal or $2.5 billion export dollars.