MARKETS

WICET counts down to operations

THE long-planned Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal project is three to four weeks away from rec...

Blair Price
WICET counts down to operations

Near Gladstone at Golding Point, and considered part of Gladstone’s port, WICET is also expected to welcome its first coal carrier vessel in the late November/early December timeframe.

Gladstone Ports Corporation CEO Craig Doyle told the ABC that there would be an additional 250 vessels going through Gladstone Harbour once WICET hits its stage one nameplate capacity.

He said recruiting was underway for jobs to operate the coal terminal with an initial intake of 40 successful candidates expected, while a new tug boat facility for the port will also create jobs.

The three Curtis Island-based LNG projects, near Gladstone, will make the port busier as they come to fruition.

"We expect to see the first LNG vessel before the end of the year,” Doyle told the ABC.

"Each of the three plants will be up and running in the next 12-18 months, so there's a lot more happening as Gladstone port continues to grow."

WICET is expected to have 27 million tonnes per annum of throughput capacity by early 2015.

The initial WICET consortium comprised Glencore, Bandanna Energy, Caledon Coal, Cockatoo Coal, Aquila Resources, Yancoal, Wesfarmers and New Hope Coal.

An Australian Financial Review report into WICET’s capital structure in July said the preference shareholders of Bandanna, Aquila and Cockatoo had already sold out of the consortium, quoting unnamed sources.

TOPICS:

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production