Spread over 350km and growing, the Hunter Valley Coal Chain complexity is driven by the need to export very large coal volumes from a very concentrated network.
Complexity is further compounded by the fact that there is no more than two weeks visibility on how many vessels are arriving and from which mines the coal needs to be transported.
Below are some facts on the size and complexity of the coal chain operations:
- 30 Coal Mines
- 17 Producers
- 23 Load Points
- Around 80 Different Brands of Coal
- 2 Above Rail Operators
- Approx. 29 Trains (750 trips/year/train)
- 2 Track Owner/Operators
- Haulage distances up to 350km
- 2 Coal Loading Terminals – KCT & CCT
- 5 Dump Stations
- 1.5Mt of Working Stockyard
- 5 Ship Berths and Loaders
- Approx. 1000 vessels per year
- Average vessel size is 84kt
- Multiple cargoes and coal types
- Tidal constrained river port
- 9 Vessel Agents
- Approx. 34 End Buyers
- 12 Countries
- Around 85% exports to Japan, Korea & Taiwan
- Turn of Arrival loading port (14 day rule)
- JIT cargo assembly process
- 16 independent organisations required to move each tonne of coal
- Only two weeks visibility and highly variable volumes
- Avg 5 days clean coal on stock at the mines