Asciano ready to roll on mine site rail services Ports and rail...

Asciano ready to roll on mine site rail services


Ports and rail operator Asciano may start to build and maintain rail infrastructure at new mining sites. The operator's coal haulage division, Pacific National Coal has started discussions with some of its mining clients in Queensland about building rail loops at their new mines. Key clients include Rio Tinto and Xstrata.

Mr David Irwin director of the division said that "As our coal producers are looking at building new infrastructure to support new mines, particularly loading loops, if that is a value adding service they're looking for, that's something we would be happy to offer."

Mr Irwin made the comments at yesterday's opening of Pacific National Coal's new state of the art train maintenance facility in Nebo just outside Mackay in Queensland. The facility is likened to a Formula One pit-stop to service the company's haulage trains in the region.

He said that what we've done here is demonstrate that we can build new rail infrastructure and manage it and we can work through the process of creating that with the regulators. There was little concern over any slowdown in the mining sector. There are cycles within cycles all we're seeing is the growth is slowing.

He added that but the fact projects are still progressing and as much as things trend down in the cycle, they also trend up. We have 10 year contracts and we're very bullish on the long-term future of coal.