Study shows that australian coal port expansions have minimal environmental impact
Alarmist predictions by environmental activists of more than 11,000 coal ships travelling through the Great Barrier Reef area by 2020 have been put to rest by a report released by the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation.
An independent study of the environmental implications of shipping through the Great Barrier Reef has given the lie to the fanciful claims of environmental activists such as Greenpeace, says Michael Roche, Chief Executive of the Queensland Resources Council, the peak body for the minerals and energy sector in Queensland.
Mr Roche says that as recently as last month Greenpeace, as leader of the anti-coal movement, was claiming that 11,400 coal ships would in very quick time be travelling to and from coal ports in the reef area.
‘This new study shows that even when the optimistic forecasts from all coal port operators are tallied together, the coal shipping volumes by 2020 are more like 4200 or just 37 percent of the Greenpeace claim,’ said Mr Roche.
The study shows that when other commercial shipping (carrying passengers and cargoes such as sugar, livestock, LNG, bauxite and general cargoes) is included, the total commercial ship number for 2020 is put at 7400.
The study points out that the federal government’s Bureau of Resource and Energy Economics is projecting coal exports from Queensland ports by 2020 of between 301 million tonnes (Mt) (mid-range) and 327Mt (high range).
‘That compares with the extraordinary claim by Greenpeace last month that coal exports from Queensland were going to grow from 165Mt last year to an extraordinary 1056Mt,’ said Mr Roche.
‘It took 13 years to grow Queensland coal exports by 71 million to that 165Mt number, but Greenpeace would have the public believe that in quick time coal exports are going to grow more than six-fold,’ he said.
‘It is of course these fanciful Greenpeace coal export predictions that sit behind their equally incredible claims around shipping volumes.’
The shipping study finds that:
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‘Nevertheless the study does point to some important opportunities to further improve on risk management practices,’ said Mr Roche. The report makes a number of recommendations to enhance the already stringent regulations on ship movements through the reef, including improvements to ship vetting, for both the quality of ships and their crew. ‘The Abbot Point Voluntary Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) is the first of its kind and sets a national benchmark for best practice environment management of future projects at the Port of Abbot Point. ‘The CIA, which is made up of 16 comprehensive environmental studies, is scientifically rigorous and sets a standard above and beyond that set down by UNESCO for developments in the Great Barrier Reef area. ‘The report, which has been peer reviewed by a panel of experts in the fields of world heritage, marine biodiversity and migratory birds will help regulators, proponents and the public to better understand the collective impact of expansion works at Abbot Point, including measures design to protect the Great Barrier Reef. ‘I encourage members of the public to read the report and make comments in the six-week consultation period.’ The report including the shipping study is available here. |
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