PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Freight hauler Aurizon has reiterated its commitment to the Hunter Valley coal industry, announcing the arrival of a batch of newly-built coal wagons at the Port of Newcastle.

Aurizon New South Wales coal operations GM Catherine Baxter, said on Friday that the 32 wagons in the consignment were only one part of the 284 wagon order, with each wagon having the capacity to carry up to 97.8 t of coal.

“These wagons will enter service for our new customers, AGL Macquarie and MACH Energy, demonstrating the strong growth we have seen in our New South Wales coal haulage operations since we started in 2005.

“Our coal haulage has increased from 180 000 t in 2005 to 48-million tonnes in 2017, underlining the opportunities in the coal sector for regional employment and income generated in, and for, the local communities,” Baxter said.

She pointed to recent figures by the Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs, which showed that Australian coal exports were continuing to grow in value, with 2017 exports valued at A$56.5-billion, or 35% higher than in 2016.

“It’s encouraging to see this is the highest ever annual value of Australian coal exports, surpassing the A$46.7-billion record that was achieved in 2011 on the back of the Chinese construction boom.

“What’s even more encouraging at a local level, is the continued global demand for Hunter Valley coal, with 162-million tonnes of coal exported through the Port of Newcastle in 2017.”

Aurizon has recently faced severe criticism in Queensland, after the company in March issued an update on the capacity and performance of its Central Queensland Coal Network, warning customers that it would cut up to 20-million tonnes a year in freight haulage across its four rail corridors, in response to the Queensland Competition Authority’s draft decision on the company’s 2017 draft access undertaking.

It has been estimated that the revised maintenance plan could reduce Queensland coal exports by around A$4-billion, and could cut coal royalties to the state by as much as A$500-million a year.