Australia's largest rail freight operator, Aurizon, saw its volume of hauled tons of coal in New South Wales rise 9% year on year in fiscal 2016-2017 (July-June), the company said Monday.
The volume went from 43.8 million mt to 47.7 million mt, Aurizon said in its full year results.
"NSW volumes were 3.9 million mt (9%) higher at 47.7 million mt, reflecting increased spot tons and the continued ramp-up of the Whitehaven contract," the company said.
In December, Aurizon received an expansion volume notification from Whitehaven to 9.6 million mt, which was a further addition from a prior 1 million mt uplift to 8.6 million mt, which commenced in January, Aurizon had said.
Aurizon did not breakdown what its NSW volumes are expected to be in fiscal 2017-2018, but said total above rail coal haulage is forecast in the range of 215 million-225 million mt, based on current market conditions. In fiscal 2016-2017, Aurizon's NSW volumes accounted for 24% of a total of 150.5 million mt, according to data from the company's results.
In New South Wales, Aurizon services coal producers in the Hunter Valley, which export via the Port of Newcastle. It provides rail haulage for around one quarter of the Hunter Valley coal export market, it said.
