Regional Coal: Billion dollar upgrades needed to lift Queensland's coal exports

The Queensland mining industry says it can increase coal exports by 60 per cent, but it is going to cost A$3.2 billion, ABC Rural News reported on Monday.

Ken Talbot from Macarthur Coal says infrastructure improvements are needed at coal terminals at Gladstone, Dalrymple Bay and Abbott Point.

Kate O'Toole has details of a wishlist drawn up by mining companies in the Bowen Basin.

"Today there are 46 ships waiting to be loaded off Dalrymple Bay coal terminal, which is well on its way to becoming Australia's most infamous export bottleneck.

"But while a $750 million upgrade of port capacity is part of the solution, Talbot says a new $100 million interface between the railway and the port is the highest priority.

"Also on the wishlist is a $1.3 billion makeover for railway infrastructure to the three ports and upgrades to Gladstone and Abbott Point totalling $1.1 billion.

"If all of those items could be completed, Talbot says, Queensland could be exporting an additional 80 million tonnes of coal a year to hungry Chinese, Indian and Brazilian markets." (*)