Subscribe to RSS feedHay Point coal exports highest in months
Coal exports through the port of Hay Point surged 21% in April after a sustained period of suppressed demand, according to figures released by the Ports Corporation of Queensland.
Coal boost for Hay Point's two terminals
Hay Point, Queensland's largest coal port, shipped 7.2m tonnes of coal in April, up from 5.96m tonnes handled in March.
BHP Mitsubishi Alliance-owned Hay Point Coal Services moved 3.17m tonnes for the month, its biggest month since November.
Neighbouring Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) topped 4m tonnes, well ahead of the 3.3m tonnes the previous month and its best figure since the dry bulk market began retracting in October.
The strong numbers for both terminals saw their financial year-to-date figures return to par with last year.
DBCT had exported 35.4m tonnes at this time last year but has already shipped 37.7m tonnes in the first 10 months of 2008/09.
However, the numbers are well below the 42.8m tonnes exported by this stage of 2006/07, despite the significant congestion experienced at that time.
Hay Point Coal Services has shipped 29.7m tonnes so far in 2008/09, on par with a year earlier but up from 28.3m tonnes in 2006/07.
Meanwhile, Gladstone Ports Corporation figures showed its financial year-to-date coal exports reached 46.2m tonnes by the end of April, much of it heading to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and India.
The port exported 54.1m tonnes for the full year of 2007/08.
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