Newcastle coal exports are down 9 per cent in 2016 year on year, according to the Hunter Valley Coal Chain Co-ordinator.
Coal throughput at for Port Waratah Coal Services has reached 86 per cent of the year to date outbound target rate at an average of 104.5 million tonnes per annum at the end of February.
The inbound throughput rate for Port of Newcastle of 148.9 million tonnes per annum represented 82 per cent of the year to date target. Real figures to the end of February came in at 24.4 million tonnes hauled to port, compared to 26.7 million tonnes in the same period 2015.
At present 12 vessels are in queue, with an average vessel turnaround of 4.2 days, while port stocks sit at 1.133 million tonnes.
Early in January heavy rains caused flooding in the Hunter Valley between Maitland and Newcastle bringing rail haulage to a halt, and forced Port Waratah Coal Services to stop all rail and ship loading operations for two days.