Abbot Point

OVERVIEW

Situated about 25 kilometres north of Bowen, the Port of Abbot Point is Australia's most northerly coal port. The Abbot Point Coal Terminal comprises a rail in-loading facility, coal handling and stockpile areas, and a single trestle jetty and conveyor connected to a berth and shiploader, located 2.75km off-shore. The terminal is being expanded with the addition of a second wharf and shiploader as well as an additional onshore stockyard and machines.

Coal is supplied to Abbot Point by rail from Newlands, Collinsville and Sonoma mines. In addition, small quantities of coal may be brought north on the coastal rail line from the Goonyella system for export. The port terminal is operated by Abbot Point Bulk Coal Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Xstrata Coal Queensland Pty Ltd.

The port is serviced by two tugs, which are based in Bowen, and pilotage is provided by Maritime Safety Queensland. NQBP is the port authority for the port, and has three staff based in Bowen who are responsible for maintaining the Bowen wharves and providing assistance at other NQBP ports.

The Port of Abbot Point is of significant strategic value to NQBP and the State, as there are very few locations along Queensland's eastern seaboard where deep water (>15m) is so close in-shore. NQBP is considering the potential for development of a breakwater protected harbour to provide additional sheltered berths.

The coal terminal at Abbot Point, which is owned by PCQ and operated by Abbot Point Bulk Coal Pty Ltd, is currently undergoing significant expansion works.

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT - PROPOSED MULTI CARGO FACILITY

Invitation for Public Comment

NQBP is proposing to develop a sheltered harbour within the waters of the Port of Abbot Point and associated access roads within the adjacent Abbot Point State Development Area (APSDA). The Port of Abbot Point and APSDA are located on the Central Queensland coast approximately 25 km northwest of Bowen. The title of the proposed action is the Abbot Point Multi Cargo Facility (MCF) (EPBC 2009/4837).

The proposed action involves the development of a sheltered harbour comprising up to 12 berths to accommodate Cape size vessels, a 370 ha reclamation area, dredging of approximately 35 million cubic metres of seabed material to a depth of -18 m LAT to provide an access channel and manoeuvring area and associated common user infrastructure and operational activities. The MCF is to be constructed immediately to the west of the existing Abbot Point Coal Terminal (APCT). An access road and temporary haul road will also be constructed linking the development to the APSDA.

Documentation for the proposal, comprising a Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available for download. Please email to obtain a copy of Appendices including:

  • NQBP Environmental Policy and EMP
  • Guidelines for Preparing an EIS
  • Surface Hydrology
  • Marine Water Quality
  • Acid Sulphate Soil Testing
  • Marine Sediment Sampling and Analysis
  • Terrestrial Ecology
  • Marine Ecology
  • Coastal Processes
  • Hydrodynamic Modelling
  • Project Team

Documents will also be on display between Saturday, 22 May and Saturday, 10 July 2010 at:

Whitsunday Regional Council
67 Herbert Street, Bowen QLD 4805

Collinsville Library
Cnr Stanley and Conway Streets, Collinsville QLD 4804

Queensland State Library
Stanley Place, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Department of the Environment, Water Resources, Heritage and the Arts
John Gorton Building, Parkes ACT 2600

Interested persons and organisations are invited to comment in writing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement by 10 July 2010. Written submissions can be sent to:

Gary Campbell, General Manager Abbot Point Port Development
North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited
GPO Box 409, Brisbane QLD 4001


Community Information Session

The Draft EIS is being publicly notified from 22 May to 2 July.

Members of the project team will be available at the community information session to discuss the project and findings of the Draft EIS at:

Barrier Reef TAFE
Queens Road, Bowen
Thursday, 27 May 3.00pm - 7.00pm

For further information, please contact Julie Keane on (07) 3316 3940.
 

X110 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
VOLUNTARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (VEA)

For a full copy of the Voluntary Environmental Assessment (VEA), please click on the following link X110 Infrastructure Development Project VEA.

PORT SECURITY

Abbot Point is currently at Security Level 1. For more information on security requirements at Abbot Point, click on the following link SECURITY INFORMATION.

TRADE

Port of Abbot Point Trade

In 2008–09, total throughput at Abbot Point was 14,443,487 tonnes. The port handled 176 ships during the financial year.

MONTHLY ACTUAL THROUGHPUT
  2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
July 896,259 1,227,000 1,583,367
August 1,101,938 1,241,436 1,370,770
September 790,770 1,479,761 1,183,230
October 979,301 1,294,912 1,136,668
November 1,082,161 1,010,470 1,206,637
December 1,371,135 1,176,339 1,748,184
January 1,053,979 1,432,118 1,585,699
February 763,214 587,282 1,138,956
March 932,535 1,270,040 1,434,804
April 754,612 649,462 1,528,073
May 1,515,555 1,415,669 1,341,154
June 1,234,449 1,658,998 1,676,054
Total 12,475,908 14,443,487 16,933,596