Singapore, 27 July (Argus) — Australia's Newcastle port exported more coal in the latest week as rail movements from mines to the port continued to improve.

Operator Newcastle Port said it shipped 2.19mn t of coal in the week to 26 July compared with 2.16mn t the previous week. While the number of ships waiting to load increased to 12 from 11, the average waiting time fell to 7.46 days. The number of vessels allocated an arrival time and waiting in transit, but not anchored, fell to 60 from 70 a week earlier.

While Newcastle port exported more coal, it has the capacity to ship even more. Planned transport rates from mines to the port were below target as some railcars were parked because of insufficient demand, Hunter Valley Coal Chain Logistics Team (HVCCLT) said. HVCCLT is responsible for planning coal exports from the region.

Coal stocks at Port Waratah Coal Services' Carrington terminal at Newcastle rose to 386,374t from 217,075t, while inventories at its Kooragang terminal slipped to 755,597t from 887,633t.

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