“Greenpeace is plunging its head in the sandpit, ignoring the reality of global energy demand,” ACA chief executive Nikki Williams said.

“Their latest missive is an instalment in their agenda to cripple the coal export industry, exposed by Australian media in March this year.”

Greenpeace said if nine mega mines in proximity to the Great Barrier Reef came online, they could more than double Australia’s current coal exports and make the region the seventh dirtiest fossil fuel burner in the world.

The report estimated that the nine proposed Galilee Basin mines in question would produce 330 million tonnes per annum of coal in total and would dramatically increase environmentally hazardous shipping activity over some 675km of new rail lines.

Williams said the organisation’s campaign was “mere grandstanding” and conflicted with data from the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics.

“The latest Greenpeace document uses a figure of 11,400 potential shipping movements,” she said.

“The figure has ballooned from the already mythical number they used in March of 10,149.

“The industry forecast is 3693 based on analysis of port growth, BREE export forecasts and examination of historical and future market trends.

“This overnight inflation in the numbers is even more bizarre given that in the real world industry expansion plans have moderated in response to very challenging market conditions.”