The Queensland government has cleared plans by two Indian companies — Adani Enterprises and GVK Power & Infrastructure — to expand a port for coal projects in the Australian state.

Both companies announced in separate statements that the new Queensland government has cleared the project that would support their mining projects in the mineral-rich Galilee Basin of Queensland.

The expansion was to have involved dumping 3 million cubic metres of soil dredged at the port of Abbot Point into the sea about 25 km from the Great Barrier Reef.

Green groups oppose the project saying it would damage the Great Barrier Reef. “The agreement with the Queensland Government on an onshore dredge disposal option ensures our plan for delivering 10,000 jobs and $22 billion in taxes and royalties proceeds in line with previously advised timelines,” the Adani group said in a release posted on its website. Hyderabad-based GVK Power has also welcomed its agreement with Queensland which proposes to locate dredged material onto unallocated industrial land within the Abbot Point Port boundaries so that it won’t impact the already attained approvals.

“We are committed to continuing to work with the Government to advance our projects where construction can commence and we can start creating jobs for Queensland,” the company said.

The development of the Galilee Basin in the region represents a significant economic development in the Queensland economic horizon.

“Our Galilee Basin projects and associated infrastructure will provide around 7,000 jobs during the three-year construction and around 4,000 direct operational jobs during its 30 plus years of operation,” GVK added.

“The next steps for our projects include finalising all of our approvals, before executing coal off-take agreements and finalising financing arrangements,” the statement said.

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