Coal exports from three major North Queensland terminals in Australia were 11.24 million tonnes in April, down 2.81% on the year yet up 6.35% on the month, showed data from North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation.
North Queensland mainly exports coal through Hay Point, Dalrymple Bay and Abbot Point coal terminals.
In April, exports from Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, which has a handling capacity of 85 million tonnes per year, came in at 5.31 million tonnes, up 0.73% year on year and 17.17% month on month.
Exports from Abbot Point coal terminal were recorded at 2.83 million tonnes in April, increasing 6.86% from the year-ago level and 7.99% from the previous month.
Abbot Point is the most northerly and has the lowest handling capacity of 50 million tonnes each year among the three terminals.
The export volume of Hay Point coal terminal, operated by BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, stood at 3.09 million tonnes in April, decreasing 14.95% on the year and 9.26% on the month. Hay Point has a handling capacity of 55 million tonnes per year.
Over the first four months this year, the three terminals exported 42.51 million tonnes of coal, rising 0.73% from year-ago 42.19 million tonnes, data showed.
The vast majority of North Queensland's exports are coking coal.
However, coal exports from the three terminals may continue to decline in May, as Australian rail company announced scheduled maintenance closures for its coal systems in Queensland, including the Goonyella system from May 1 to 3, the Moura system from May 14 to 16, and Blackwater from May 27 to 29.
The Goonyella system delivers coal to the ports of Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal and Hay Point from the central Bowen Basin.
(Writing by yan.sun Editing by Harry Huo)
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