Abbot Point

Abbot Point Port is home to the North Queensland Export Terminal (NQXT), the most northerly deepwater coal port of Australia, situated approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) north-west of the township of Bowen (Queensland).[3] Established in 1984, it consists of a rail in-loading facility, coal handling and stockpile areas, and a single trestle jetty and conveyor connected to a berth and shiploader, located 2.75 km off-shore.[3] Coal reaches the port via the GAP railway line from the Bowen Basin Coalfields.

Abbot Point
Abbott Point Port infrastructure from the sea, 2018
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
Location
CountryAustralia
Location25 km (16 mi) north of Bowen
Coordinates19°52′59″S 148°04′59″E
UN/LOCODEAUABP[1]
Details
Operated byAdani Group
Owned byNorth Queensland Bulk Ports
Type of harbourArtificial
No. of berths2[2]
Draft depth19.1 m.[2]
Statistics
Vessel arrivals190 (2010-11)
Annual cargo tonnage15,063,943 (2010-11)
Website
www.nqbp.com.au

The Port of Abbot Point is of significant strategic value to North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, as there are very few locations along Queensland's eastern seaboard where deep water (>15m) is so close in-shore.[3] North Queensland Export Terminal has been operating for 35 years exporting coal.[4]

Terminal 1

Adani Ports signed a 99-year lease on Abbot Point Terminal 1 in 2011.[5][6] The deal cost Adani Group $1.83 billion.[7]

Abbot Point Operations been contracted by North Queensland Export Terminal to manage the operations at the port of Abbot Point.[8]

Expansion

The port is planned to provide export facilities for coal mined from the Galilee Basin. The terminal has approvals to be expanded with the addition of a second wharf and shiploader as well as an additional onshore stockyard and machines, however this was tabled due to the sizing down of the Carmichael Mine. The road and railway to the port have been targeted at times by non-violent direct action by environmentalists opposed to coal exports.[9]

An environmental assessment which included a review of 16 environmental studies,[10] found the port's expansion would not have a significant impact on the Great Barrier Reef and that Greenpeace's claims regarding the expansion's impact were overstated. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Protection Authority (GBRMPA) advised minister Greg Hunt not to approve dredging for the Abbott Point coal port expansion.[11][12] The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act was amended so that government does not have to consider expert advice before approving major developments such as mines and ports.[13]

GVK-Hancock Coal

Federal approval for the port to be used by Hancock Coal to export coal from the Alpha Coal Project was granted on 10 October 2012.[14] Conditions for the go-ahead included a seagrass offset scheme, a wetland management plan, funding for Indigenous rangers, monitoring of air and water quality, amongst a total of 60 conditions aimed primarily to protect the Great Barrier Reef.[15][16] For every 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of seagrass impacted by the port expansion, 8 hectares (20 acres) must be protected.[16]

Bowen Orbital Spaceport

In May 2021, it was announced that private Australian rocket launch company Gilmour Space Technologies was given the go-ahead by the Queensland Government to build a rocket launch facility in Abbot Point.[17] The rocket dedicated to launch from Bowen Orbital Spaceport is known as Eris and will launch in late 2023.[18][19]

See also

References
  1. "UNLOCODE (AU) - AUSTRALIA". www.unece.org. UNECE. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. "Port of Abbot Point, Australia". www.findaport.com. Shipping Guides Ltd. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  3. "NQBP Abbot Point". North Queensland Bulk Ports North Queensland. Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  4. "Abbot Point Factsheet" (PDF). October 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 November 2020.
  5. "Adani of India to Buy Australian Port for $2 Billion". 3 May 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  6. "Rio's exit 'won't blunt Abbot Point plan'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 1 May 2012. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  7. Daniel Hurst (3 May 2011). "Asset sale yields $1.8 billion". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  8. "Abbot Point Operations". Archived from the original on 22 October 2020.
  9. Paine, Andy (26 October 2022). "Frontline Action on Coal FLAC: Ten Years on the Climate Frontline". The Commons Social Change Library. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  10. 16 Environmental Studies, archived from the original on 27 June 2013, retrieved 30 May 2013
  11. "Greenpeace share FOI documents on Great Barrier Reef coal port dredging at Abbot Point | Mining Australia". Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  12. "Hope for coal terminal report to allay green fears". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  13. Jabour, Bridie (4 February 2014). "Great Barrier Reef park directors still face conflict of interest questions". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  14. Melissa Maddison and Megan Woodward (10 October 2012). "Burke approves new Abbot Point coal terminal". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  15. AAP (10 October 2012). "New Abbot Point coal terminal wins federal approval". The Australia. News Limited. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  16. Rosanne Barrett (11 October 2012). "Coal terminal comes with big strings attached". The Australian. News Limited. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  17. "QLD Govt gives go-ahead for a small rocket launch site at Abbot Point". Gilmour Space Technologies (Press release). 20 May 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  18. Gilmour Space [@GilmourSpace] (5 April 2023). "Beautiful day for putting up our 24m-tall fluids tower, which forms part of the ground support infrastructure for our maiden #Eris rocket launch at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport later this year! (Expected 🚀 date is now no earlier than Q4 2023.)" (Tweet). Retrieved 6 April 2023 – via Twitter.
  19. "Gilmour Space announces first 'Caravan' rideshare mission to LEO". Gilmour Space Technologies (Press release). 19 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022. [The company] is expecting to launch its first Eris vehicle from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland, Australia, early next year.
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