April coal exports up 22% at Richards Bay

LEONARD NEILL RICHARDS BAY Coal Terminal recorded an increase of 22% in export shipments in April compared to the previous year in spite of recent claims by producers that supplies had been hampered due to a shortage of trucks on the Spoornet line to the harbour. A total of 6 .26m tons was handled during the month compared to 5.13m tons in the same month last year. It was also a marked improvement on the March figure of 5.03m tons, a shortfall brought about by bad weather which closed the port for four days. Richards Bay is the world’s second largest coal export terminal behind Australia’s Newcastle port where severe shipping congestion has forced authorities to cut allocations for all producers this year. Producers have been told to cut shipping output by up to 20%. One leading producer, Coal and Allied, has warned that Australia’s reputation as a reliable energy supplier will be tarnished unless infrastructure issues in the port are attended to immediately.