CANBERRA: The Australian Port Alma and Bundaberg on the Queensland central coast have closed after sustaining cyclone damage. Department of Transport spokesperson told IHS Maritime that “We are checking navigation aids at both these ports but flood waters are slowing our progress”.
“Both ports are expected to be the subject of hydrographic surveys this Thursday and Friday,” he said. “A sugar vessel is due in Bundaberg this Saturday and all efforts are being focused on opening the port to meet this schedule.” No advice was available of any specific road or rail disruption to mining operations. All other ports, including Curtis Island, which were also in Cyclone Marcia’s path when it hit the coast on Friday, have reopened for business as usual.
Construction work on the Curtis Island LNG projects resumed Monday after a lockdown on Thursday ahead of the cyclone. Workers were evacuated and LNG loading at one project already in production was disrupted. A tanker moored at QCLNG jetty to load from BG Group’s USD20.4 billion venture was forced to sail to calmer waters outside the harbour and was not due back until today. Gladstone port reopened on Saturday for daylight hours only so Bechtel could get its ferry services running. Coal shipments out of the port did not resume until Sunday.
