QR National has signed a 10 year performance based contract with Rio Tinto Coal Australia to haul 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from the Rio Tinto Blair Athol/ Clermont operations to the Abbot Point Coal Terminal (APCT) from January 2012.
The new contract supports Rio Tinto’s investment in the Clermont thermal coal mine in central Queensland, and leverages QR National Network’s $1.1 billion Goonyella to Abbot Point (GAP) Expansion project.
The GAP project, which connects the Goonyella and Newlands coal systems, was officially opened by Acting Premier Andrew Fraser and QR National Chairman John Prescott on Monday.
The new long-term contract is the second secured by QR National for coal haulage via the new GAP infrastructure, following an announcement in February 2011 of a 10-year contract with Jellinbah Resources to haul up to 6mtpa from the Lake Vermont mine to APCT.
QR National Managing Director and CEO Lance Hockridge said Rio Tinto was an important customer and QR National’s operational scale provides Rio Tinto surety, economies of scale and operational flexibility.
“We have a strong relationship with Rio Tinto Coal at both the commercial and operational levels and this contract enables us to build on that with a high performance, take or pay contract.”
QR National is Australia's largest rail freight company with services operating across five states. In 2010/11, QR National transported more than 240 million tonnes of freight, including coal, iron ore, other minerals, agricultural products and general freight. It also operates and manages the 2300 kilometre Central Queensland coal network that links mines to coal ports at Bowen, Mackay and Gladstone. For further information contact: