Coal exports rose by 7.51% on the previous year to 60,590,520t despite restrictions in railing coal to the port because of bad weather and the effect of the GFC on demand, GPC chairman Ian Brusasco said.

“Our ports are moving from strength to strength and these figures are an indication of that,” Brusasco said.

European markets recorded a small decrease in imports of coal, but coal exports to Asia increased by 4.5Mt, due mainly to strong increases in the Chinese and Indian markets, which helped offset a decline in exports to the Korean (down 2.6Mt) and Taiwanese (down 1.2Mt) markets.

Asian countries made up 92.1% of total cost exported, with Japan remaining the main importer of coal, taking 37% of coal exports.

The RG Tanna Coal Terminal has continued to grow in capacity, with record coal exports of 55.6Mt through the terminal in 2009-10, representing 66.7% of total port throughput.

In the current year GPC has recorded a significant increase in throughputs and is looking forward to another “bumper year”, managing director Leo Zussino said.