Wiggins Island $1.8bn terminal a step closer

<p>Construction of Queensland’s $1.8bn Wiggins Island coal terminal project at the port of Gladstone could begin as early as next year, after the terms of reference for an environmental impact study (EIS) was released by the state’s Coordinator General’s Office yesterday (Tuesday, March 28). </p> <p>The document outlines specific areas for the EIS to cover during the study, and provides a timeframe for specific stages of the project.</p> <p>The EIS could take up to 18 months to complete but the Central Queensland Port Authority hopes to see it finished by the end of this year. </p> <p>If approved, the Wiggins Island development would boost Queensland’s coal capacity by up to 20m tonnes per annum at the completion of Stage One. </p> <p>The State Government has declared it a "significant project" as part of its plans to make the port of Gladstone the world’s top coal exporting port.</p> <p>Further development could see the proposed facility at the Fisherman’s Landing wharf centre handle up to 70mtpa.</p> <p>Construction of stage one will take about three years, and could begin as early as the first quarter of 2007 or as late as the middle of 2008, depending on how long the EIS takes. </p> <p>The development involves the reclamation of 153 ha of land in Port Curtis next to existing Fisherman’s Landing port facilities, six additional wharves, dredging of approach channels, rail connections, stockpiles and coal loaders.</p> <p>The 25mtpa expansion of the R G Tanna is also under way.</p> <br />