Date: Apr 3, 2018
Key coal export ports along Australia’s Queensland coast suspended operations Tuesday as the state braced for Tropical Cyclone Iris.
North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation said the ports of Hay Point and Abbot Point were suspended Tuesday under the direction of the Regional Harbour Master until further notice.
The two ports are home to the Dalrymple Bay, Hay Point and Abbot Point coal terminals.
The other two coal exporting ports in Queensland are Gladstone and Brisbane. Gladstone was understood not to have suspended operations at time of writing.
“Tropical Cyclone Iris is expected to continue moving slowly to the southeast, parallel to the Queensland coast, for the next two days while slowly intensifying,” Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said in a 10 am update Tuesday. “On Thursday the cyclone should slow down and begin to weaken. It may reverse direction and adopt a track to the northwest overnight Thursday or Friday. The cyclone is not expected to cross the Queensland coast in the short to medium term, but may approach the coast close enough to produce significant impacts,” it added.
As a result of the port closures, miner sources said rail lines leading to the ports have suspended operations.
