A total of 95 coal ships loaded with 7,540,600 tonnes left the port during the month. This breaks the previous record set in April last year when 7,172,766 tonnes of coal were exported from Newcastle.

 

“The export tonnage comes on top of news that a record 280,000 tonnes of coal was moved by rail to the port from Hunter Valley mines on the weekend of January 22 and 23,” Newcastle Port Corporation chief Gary Webb said.

 

“The record figures underlie the co-operation along the Hunter Valley Coal Chain in efficiently moving coal from mines in the Hunter Valley to the port and then onto export markets. Newcastle is the leading export coal port in the world and we are

well on the way to improving on the nearly 77.7 million tonnes of coal exported in 2003-04.”