Queensland’s coal exports up 2% in December

Coal exports from Australia’s metallurgical coal hub of Queensland in December 2014 edged up 2% year-on-year.

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A total of 18.68 million tonnes were shipped from the region last month, compared with 18.32 million tonnes in December 2013. Volumes were also just slightly up from the 18.61 million tonnes shipped in November 2014, according to data from the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corp and Gladstone Ports Corp.

The former oversees the Dalrymple Bay, Hay Point and Abbot Point coal terminals while the latter manages and operates the Port of Gladstone.

Total coal shipments from the four ports amounted to 208.47 million tonnes for the whole of 2014, up 33.1% from 156.63 million tonnes in 2013.

The Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal shipped 6.34 million tonnes of coal in December and 69.57 million tonnes in 2014. These are up from 5.7 million tonnes in December 2013 and 34.14 million tonnes in all of 2013.

Cargoes that went through the Abbot Point Coal Terminal rose to 2.55 million tonnes in December and 26.55 million tonnes in 2014. These compare with 2.03 million tonnes in December 2013 and 21.41 million tonnes in all of 2013.

Coal exports from the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance-controlled Hay Point Coal Terminal reached 3.72 million tonnes last month, slightly lower than the 3.76 million tonnes recorded a year earlier. A total of 42.99 million tonnes of coal were shipped in 2014, up 12.2% from 38.33 million tonnes in 2013.

The Port of Gladstone exported 6.07 million tonnes of coal in December, down from 6.84 million tonnes shipped in December 2013. A total of 69.37 million tonnes were shipped in 2014, up from 62.74 million tonnes in 2013.