Production problems at Xstrata Coal’s Oaky Creek and Peabody Energy Australia's North Goonyella mine have led to supply shortfalls at the port.

Earlier this year, miners had blamed the lack of rail and port capacity for export bottlenecks. Six months later, DBCT’s loading capacity seems to have exceeded mine supply.

While the status quo had altered, Dalrymple Bay Users Group chairman Mike Allen told International Longwall News the change was purely temporary as the port’s capacity remained predominantly unchanged.

Xstrata Coal told the Courier Mail disruptions to production at its Oaky Creek mine in central Queensland this month had held up three shipments, but said conditions were now back to normal.

The state’s shipping regulator, Maritime Safety Queensland, said 26 bulk carriers were berthed or moving in and out of the DBCT and adjacent BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance terminals at Hay Point yesterday – at least 20 of which were waiting to load at DBCT – the paper reported.