Tauranga awards Toll major coal haulage contract

<p>A new agreement signed between the Port of Tauranga and Toll Holdings today (November 13) will allow the railing of coal from the port to Genesis Energy’s Huntly Power Station, which has switched from liquefied natural gas to coal.</p> <p>Genesis Energy said that with New Zealand’s coal supplies running out, the company is importing fuel from Indonesia.</p> <p>Port of Tauranga chief executive John Mayson said two shiploads of coal will arrive every month at the port.</p> <p>The port’s stevedoring, marshalling and coal management contract with Genesis Energy is for 1m tonnes a year.</p> <p>Mr Mayson said 7m tonnes of coal would be discharged over the next 12 years.</p> <p>Greenpeace said switching to coal undermines New Zealand’s commitment to the Kyoto protocol.</p> <p>But Mr Mayson said the port has invested NZ$32m ($29.95m) in a large storage facility, connected by covered conveyer systems to minimise dust.</p> <p>Toll is also reaping the benefits after completing its multi-million dollar project building coal wagons at Dunedin’s Hillside workshops.</p> <p>The newly formed 50&#4750 joint venture company, Toll Owens, will own and operate the businesses of the Owens Cargo Company and Toll Logistics (NZ).</p> <p>Toll Holdings said it will offer an integrated marshalling and stevedoring service at 12 ports throughout New Zealand.</p> <p>The joint venture company will provide cargo handling services at North Port, Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Nelson, Picton, Lyttelton, Port Chalmers, Timaru and Bluff.</p> <br />