Proposed expansion of Abbot Point coal terminal captures the interest of 30 top Australian and international coal industry companies
July 6, 2011
The proposed $6.2 billion expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal has captured the interest of 30 top Australian and international coal industry companies.
Ports Minister Craig Wallace this week met with 60 representatives of the companies who toured the port as part of the expressions of interest process for the development of the T4-7 project.
Once complete, and combined with other planned port expansions, the T4-7 upgrade would make Abbot Point the world’s largest coal port, with seven coal terminals and a capacity of close to 300 million tonnes per annum.
“Australia’s and the world’s top coal companies are showing a huge interest being part of the development of Terminals 4-7 at the Port of Abbot Point,” Wallace says.
He says Mackay, Bowen and Townsville would reap massive benefits from the project, including hundreds of direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs.
The expressions of interest process for T4-7 close on August 1.
“Once all submissions are received the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation will evaluate the submissions to see which parties are best placed to participate in the next phase of design and environmental approvals,” Wallace says.
Subject to these approvals, he says the first coal could be exported from the new terminals from as early as 2017.