<p>Babcock and Brown Infrastructure’s (BBI) Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) said today (Tuesday, March 11) its phase one upgrade was complete but was still waiting on the coal mines to deliver.</p> <p>DBCT general manager Greg Smith told <em>Lloyd’s List DCN</em> that the terminal’s capacity had increased from 59m to 68m tonnes per annum of coal.</p> <p>“We’re just waiting for the mines to come back online now,” Mr Smith said.</p> <p>Coal mines in Queensland were still experiencing production problems due to the recent floods but Mr Smith expected production to increase.</p> <p>“We know of some mines that will step up production this week and others will come back online by the end of the month,” he said.</p> <p>Mr Smith said the $556m phase one upgrade had been a success.</p> <p>“The phase one expansion consists of a third train inloading facility a conveyor system and various major upgrades to the stockyard, including three new yard machines,” he said.</p> <p>But Queensland Rail (QR) was still meeting the terminal’s full capacity. </p> <p>“Of our 27 rail slots, only 17 slots are filled a day,” he said.</p> <p>“Seventeen trains a day equates to roughly 59m tonnes a year.</p> <p>“By the end of the year, QR is looking at putting more trains on, so that should increase input as they (the trains) come online.”</p> <p>Mr Smith also said issues with supply chain imbalances and the queue management system would be cleared up by 2009.</p> <p>BBI’s $1.3bn expansion of Dalrymple Bay is expected to be completed next year with the phase 2Ǚ upgrade that will add a fourth berth, extra yard machinery and a triplication of onshore equipment. </p> <br />
