A new record of 90.3 million tonnes per annum of coal was moved from the mines to Port Waratah Coal Services during January.

Ship loading also performed at its second highest rate ever over the month at 89.4Mtpa, including setting a new weekly record in excess of 100Mtpa.

“With every bit of available infrastructure across the coal chain in full operation the only upside available is to ensure the availability of the assets is maximised,” Davidson said in the team’s newsletter.

In January the train, track, terminal and port capacity made available to the industry was 94.3Mtpa, which was 99% of the declared target. Had the unplanned losses been contained to the budgeted rate, then the 95.3Mtpa declared capacity would probably have been exceeded.

During February the team targets 86.6Mtpa of capacity to be made available, down on January due to planned maintenance activities.

On the infrastructure front, commissioning of the Project 3D expansion at PWCS is now progressing, and Australian Rail Track Corporation has also confirmed on-time progress of the new track infrastructure to be delivered during the course of 2007.

The infrastructure is critical to achieving the increased capacity targeted for later in the year.

On February 27, HVCCLT will hold its logistics and load point meeting in Singleton with an invitation extended to all logistics and load point personnel from all mines in the Hunter Valley.

HVCCLT is made up of Pacific National, QRNational, Australian Rail Track Corporation, Rail Infrastructure Corporation, Port Waratah Coal Services and Newcastle Port Corporation.