Port and rail company Asciano Group
(ASX:AIO) says it has signed its fifth Queensland coal haulage customer Isaac Plains Coal Management, a joint venture between Aquila Resources and Vale.
The contract is for 10 years starting July 2010 and provides Isaac Plains Coal with rail haulage of up to 1.1 million tonnes per annum from Isaac Plains mine in the Goonyella system to the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal.
In November Asciano commissioned the 6th of its 10 train sets scheduled to commence operations in the Goonyella and Blackwater systems.
CEO Mark Rowsthorn says he hopes that the contract with Isaac Plains will encourage their joint venture partners to be part of the company’s expansion plans for operations through to Abbott Point and Wiggins Island.
Mr Rowsthorn says so far in 2009 the start up phase of the Queensland operations has delivered over 4 million tonnes.
This he says is a direct result of Pacific National’s rail haulage expertise and significant investment in this growing Queensland market.
Asciano Group has posted profits in the last two years.
