Upgrade and expansion for Abbot Point Coal Terminal
Published Tuesday, 04 March, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
The State Government has given the go ahead for two new projects worth $163 million at Abbot Point Coal Terminal north of Bowen.
Announcing the projects today Premier Anna Bligh said the Abbot Point Coal Terminal was a key part of Queensland and Australia’s coal transport infrastructure.
"The State Government’s go ahead for the $95 million X25 expansion project will take capacity at the terminal from 21 million tonnes per annum to 25 million tonnes," she said.
"In addition, $68 million will also go to upgrade the existing stockyard system."
Over 120 workers will be employed in the project, with work on the X25 project to commence in July and be completed by mid-2009. The yard refurbishment work is due to start soon and be completed by the end of 2008.
The Premier said Abbot Point was emerging as a significant port precinct in Queensland, and would play an increasingly influential role in meeting the needs of a booming coal industry.
"The port has the potential to expand further in the future to cater to the needs of the rapidly growing north Queensland economy."
The X25 project will include:
• Fitting out the existing second rail inload pit with infrastructure to become operational, including rail beams, steel hoppers, vibrating feeder system etc.
• Install a new inloading conveyor system from the second pit to the stockyard.
• Improve the capacity of the existing stockyard conveyors servicing Bund 1.
• Improve the existing outloading conveyors with new drives and pulleys and in some cases install wider conveyor belts.
While inspecting work at Abbot Point today the Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations, John Mickel said the $68 million being spent on yard machines would allow life-extending refurbishment work to be undertaken on two existing stacker/reclaimers and installation of an additional new machine.
The two machines to be refurbished are over 20 years old and although they continue to be productive assets the work is needed to guarantee safety and on-going reliability.
Mr Mickel said Ports Corporation Queensland had completed the engineering design and an Environmental Impact Study for further expansion to take the terminal’s capacity to 50 million tonnes per annum.
“Expansion beyond 25 million tonnes a year is with the State Government for consideration at present and is dependent on the demand from coal customers and construction of the Northern Missing Link rail line connecting the Goonyella and Newlands systems.
"The Goonyella to Abbot Point rail line, including the Northern Missing Link, has been identified as a priority by the State Government.
"QR is also developing a project to undertake upgrades in each system to provide the infrastructure needed to meet capacity."
Mr Mickel said as part of these upgrades an expression of interest had been published for the possible electrification of the tracks in the Goonyella and Newlands systems.
The state Government has approved $46.12 million for the preliminary phase of the upgrade project. This funding has allowed QR to undertake detailed scoping and estimating work to eventually increase the capacity to transport 50 million tonnes per year to Abbot Point by the end of 2010.
Ministerial contacts: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay 3237 1125
March 4, 2008
Announcing the projects today Premier Anna Bligh said the Abbot Point Coal Terminal was a key part of Queensland and Australia’s coal transport infrastructure.
"The State Government’s go ahead for the $95 million X25 expansion project will take capacity at the terminal from 21 million tonnes per annum to 25 million tonnes," she said.
"In addition, $68 million will also go to upgrade the existing stockyard system."
Over 120 workers will be employed in the project, with work on the X25 project to commence in July and be completed by mid-2009. The yard refurbishment work is due to start soon and be completed by the end of 2008.
The Premier said Abbot Point was emerging as a significant port precinct in Queensland, and would play an increasingly influential role in meeting the needs of a booming coal industry.
"The port has the potential to expand further in the future to cater to the needs of the rapidly growing north Queensland economy."
The X25 project will include:
• Fitting out the existing second rail inload pit with infrastructure to become operational, including rail beams, steel hoppers, vibrating feeder system etc.
• Install a new inloading conveyor system from the second pit to the stockyard.
• Improve the capacity of the existing stockyard conveyors servicing Bund 1.
• Improve the existing outloading conveyors with new drives and pulleys and in some cases install wider conveyor belts.
While inspecting work at Abbot Point today the Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations, John Mickel said the $68 million being spent on yard machines would allow life-extending refurbishment work to be undertaken on two existing stacker/reclaimers and installation of an additional new machine.
The two machines to be refurbished are over 20 years old and although they continue to be productive assets the work is needed to guarantee safety and on-going reliability.
Mr Mickel said Ports Corporation Queensland had completed the engineering design and an Environmental Impact Study for further expansion to take the terminal’s capacity to 50 million tonnes per annum.
“Expansion beyond 25 million tonnes a year is with the State Government for consideration at present and is dependent on the demand from coal customers and construction of the Northern Missing Link rail line connecting the Goonyella and Newlands systems.
"The Goonyella to Abbot Point rail line, including the Northern Missing Link, has been identified as a priority by the State Government.
"QR is also developing a project to undertake upgrades in each system to provide the infrastructure needed to meet capacity."
Mr Mickel said as part of these upgrades an expression of interest had been published for the possible electrification of the tracks in the Goonyella and Newlands systems.
The state Government has approved $46.12 million for the preliminary phase of the upgrade project. This funding has allowed QR to undertake detailed scoping and estimating work to eventually increase the capacity to transport 50 million tonnes per year to Abbot Point by the end of 2010.
Ministerial contacts: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay 3237 1125
March 4, 2008