The board of Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) has approved a $227.4 million project forming the final stage of expansion of its Kooragang coal terminal as it pushes plans for a fourth coal-loader.
The expansion, "project 145" and due for completion by December 2012, will bring PWCS's capacity to 145 million tonnes a year, its approved limit.
The work, to begin in a month, would entail the installation of a fourth rail dump station, extra track infrastructure and upgrades to existing buck-wheel reclaimer machines and ship-loading amenities.
A $670 million capacity expansion is being completed to boost capacity from 113 million tonnes a year to 133 million by the end of the year.
The latest investment was triggered under the terms of the Hunter coal export framework agreement, which guides the coal industry's access to coal loaders in line with long-term contracts.
The board endorsed the investment yesterday.
The fourth loader, dubbed T4, could add more than 100 million tonnes to the port's capacity, PWCS said.
A project application for T4 has been lodged with the NSW Department of Planning.
PWCS is under pressure to proceed quickly with T4 and was recently publicly criticised by Aston Resources, the listed company of Nathan Tinkler, over claims the project was behind schedule.
The T4 application has been caught up in the new Coalition government's moves to scrap "Part 3A" planning laws.
A spokeswoman for Planning Minister Brad Hazzard said the government was developing "transitional provisions" for dealing with projects submitted under Part 3A before the election.
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