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Abbot Point

Coordinates:19°52′59″S148°04′59″E/ 19.883°S 148.083°E/-19.883; 148.083
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Abbot Point
Abbott Point port infrastructure from the sea, 2018
Map
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Location
CountryAustralia
Location25 km (16 mi) north ofBowen
Coordinates19°52′59″S148°04′59″E/ 19.883°S 148.083°E/-19.883; 148.083
UN/LOCODEAUABP[1]
Details
Operated byAdani Group
Owned byNorth Queensland Bulk Ports
Type ofharbourArtificial
No.ofberths2[2]
Draft depth19.1 m.[2]
Statistics
Vesselarrivals190 (2010-11)
Annual cargotonnage15,063,943 (2010-11)
Website
www.nqbp.com.auEdit this at Wikidata

ThePort of Abbot Pointis home to theNorth Queensland Export Terminal(NQXT), the most northerly deepwater coal port of Australia, situated approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) north-west of the town ofBowen,Queensland.[3]Established in 1984, it consists of a rail in-loading facility, coal handling and stockpile areas, and a single trestlejettyand conveyor connected to a berth andshiploader,located 2.75 km off-shore.[3]Coal reaches the port via theGAP railway linefrom theBowen Basin Coalfields.

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

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

Abbot Point Operations been contracted byNorth Queensland Export Terminalto manage the operations at the port of Abbot Point.[8]

Expansion

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The port is planned to provide export facilities for coal mined from theGalilee Basin.The terminal has approvals to be expanded with the addition of a secondwharfandshiploaderas well as an additional onshore stockyard and machines, however this was tabled due to the sizing down of theCarmichael 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 theGreat Barrier Reefand thatGreenpeace'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]TheEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Actwas amended so that government does not have to consider expert advice before approving major developments such as mines and ports.[13]

GVK-Hancock Coal

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Federal approval for the port to be used by Hancock Coal to export coal from theAlpha Coal Projectwas granted on 10 October 2012.[14]Conditions for the go-ahead included aseagrassoffset scheme, awetlandmanagement plan, funding forIndigenous 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

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In May 2021, it was announced that private Australian rocket launch companyGilmour Space Technologieswas given the go-ahead by the Queensland Government to build a rocket launch facility in Abbot Point.[17]Gilmour Space's rocket,Eris,is expected to make its first launch from Bowen Orbital Spaceport in 2024.[18][19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"UNLOCODE (AU) - AUSTRALIA".www.unece.org.UNECE.Archivedfrom the original on 10 January 2020.Retrieved8 October2020.
  2. ^ab"Port of Abbot Point, Australia".Findaport.com.Shipping Guides Ltd.Archivedfrom the original on 16 January 2018.Retrieved8 October2020.
  3. ^abc"NQBP Abbot Point".North Queensland Bulk Ports North Queensland. Archived fromthe originalon 26 October 2009.Retrieved7 February2010.
  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.Archivedfrom the original on 1 October 2019.Retrieved5 March2017.
  6. ^"Rio's exit 'won't blunt Abbot Point plan'".The Sydney Morning Herald.Fairfax Media. 1 May 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 23 July 2022.Retrieved31 May2012.
  7. ^Daniel Hurst (3 May 2011)."Asset sale yields $1.8 billion".The Sydney Morning Herald.Fairfax Media.Archivedfrom the original on 25 August 2021.Retrieved26 August2021.
  8. ^"Abbot Point Operations".Archivedfrom 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.Archivedfrom the original on 10 November 2022.Retrieved10 November2022.
  10. ^16 Environmental Studies,archived fromthe originalon 27 June 2013,retrieved30 May2013
  11. ^"Greenpeace share FOI documents on Great Barrier Reef coal port dredging at Abbot Point | Mining Australia".Archivedfrom the original on 30 October 2014.Retrieved14 June2014.
  12. ^"Hope for coal terminal report to allay green fears".ABC News.Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 October 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 25 October 2012.Retrieved25 October2012.
  13. ^Jabour, Bridie (4 February 2014)."Great Barrier Reef park directors still face conflict of interest questions".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 4 February 2014.Retrieved4 February2014.
  14. ^Melissa Maddison and Megan Woodward (10 October 2012)."Burke approves new Abbot Point coal terminal".ABC News.Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Archivedfrom the original on 11 October 2012.Retrieved11 October2012.
  15. ^AAP (10 October 2012)."New Abbot Point coal terminal wins federal approval".The Australia.News Limited.Archivedfrom the original on 11 October 2012.Retrieved11 October2012.
  16. ^abRosanne Barrett (11 October 2012)."Coal terminal comes with big strings attached".The Australian.News Limited.Archivedfrom the original on 11 October 2012.Retrieved11 October2012.
  17. ^"QLD Govt gives go-ahead for a small rocket launch site at Abbot Point".Gilmour Space Technologies(Press release). 20 May 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2022.Retrieved19 September2022.
  18. ^Gilmour Space [@GilmourSpace](5 December 2023)."** LAUNCH UPDATE: With end of year fast-approaching and launch approvals still pending, Test Flight 1 will now attempt first orbital launch in 2024. **"(Tweet).Retrieved5 December2023– viaTwitter.
  19. ^"Gilmour Space announces first 'Caravan' rideshare mission to LEO".Gilmour Space Technologies(Press release). 19 September 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2024.Retrieved19 September2022.[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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