The announcement from Anglo Coal means two of the three companies involved in AP-X have now pulled out, with the third saying it can’t rule out abandoning the project. The London-based company yesterday told Bloomberg News that it has informed the Queensland government of its withdrawal from the AP-X coal terminal development.
“The stench around the Abbot Point developments has driven yet another company away,” said Greenpeace campaigner Louise Matthiesson. “Building one of the world’s largest coal ports in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area was always an appalling idea. It’s time for Jeff Seeney to draw a line under it and focus on issues that benefit all Queenslanders, rather than his mining industry cronies.”
While controversy rages over proposed dredging for the Terminal 0 and Terminal 3 projects at Abbot Point, beside the Great Barrier Reef, plans for the next stage of the port’s expansion, known as ‘AP-X’ were supposed to be taking shape.
Deputy Premier Seeney announced the AP-X project in December 2012, and two preferred proponents, Anglo American and Northhub (a joint venture between Aurizon and Lend Lease), were selected in April 2013.
Lend-Lease announced last week that following an internal review the infrastructure giant had allowed their partnership with Aurizon on the project to lapse, and were “therefore no longer involved in the AP X project at Abbot Point.”
The Financial Review reported that Aurizon was considering all options after Lend Lease’s announcement took them by surprise.
On top of the troubles with AP-X, the Terminal 2 project at Abbot Point is also without a developer after BHP Billiton’s decision in November last year to withdraw the proposal and surrender their development rights.
The situation leaves Indian billionaires G.V. Krishna Reddy and Gautam Adani as the last major investors still looking at extending the terminal.
The AP-X project is much larger than the other plans underway for the site, with berths for 6 or more coal tankers.
For comment contact:
Louise Matthiesson, Greenpeace Climate Campaigner, Brisbane: 0406 041 428