The works, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011, will include a new 330m coal loading berth, and associated dredging, the deconstruction of redundant stackers and new coal conveying equipment.

It will also include the extension of two key coal stockpiling pads, and the replacement of two coal stacking machines.

PWCS chairman Michael Harvey said the latest commitment – which brings the company’s expenditure on coal loading infrastructure over the past 12 years to more than $1.6 billion –

sets the scene for PWCS to honour Newcastle’s Long Term Contractual Framework arrangements, which came into effect on January 1.

“PWCS played a leading role with industry participants and the New South Wales

government seeing the Long Term Contractual Framework to fruition, and the onus is now

on us to keep building new terminal infrastructure as quickly and efficiently as possible,”

Harvey said.

“Given that PWCS has signed contracts with producers, we are in a far better position to

expand terminal infrastructure in a more accurate and timely manner.”

PWCS also announced a producer export allocation reduction of 1.7Mt to be

applied on a pro-rata basis, due to coal loading shortfalls over January.

PWCS loaded 8Mt in January, despite being scheduled to load 9.7Mt.

The company attributed the shortfall to internal factors such as equipment breakdowns and external factors including adverse weather, power supply failures and vessel delay issues.