Exports of coal from northern Queensland in Australia surged in August to a multi-year high of 13.44 million mt, driven by strong performance by the Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point coal terminals, data released by the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation on Wednesday showed.
Exports from the region that is dominant in metallurgical coal rose 12% year on year and 10% from July.
The volume is the highest in a month since January 2014, the data showed.
Coal is exported from northern Queensland come via the Dalrymple Bay, Hay Point and Abbot Point terminals.
The Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal exported 6.95 million mt in August, up 24% year on year and 19% month on month, and the highest since January 2014, the data showed.
This brings DBCT's annualized exports to 81.81 million mt/year, which is just 3.19 million mt shy of its 85 million mt/year nameplate capacity.
The neighboring, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance-owned Hay Point Coal Terminal, came even closer to hitting its nameplate capacity, at 53.56 million mt/year, just 1.44 million mt behind.
HPCT exported 4.55 million mt of coal in August, which marginally topped the 4.54 million mt it shipped in August last year, and 12% above July's exports, and the highest in 19 months, the data showed.
The most northern of the three terminals, the Adani-owned Abbot Point Coal Terminal, meanwhile, shipped 1.94 million mt in August, a four-month low but up 7% year on year. It was, however, down 18% from July, the data showed.
The APCT's August exports left ample latent capacity, running 27.15 million mt below its 50 million mt/year nameplate capacity.
