Port Taranaki loses out on coal contract

Port Taranaki will miss out on a $80 million export coal contract after Pike River Coal Ltd announced yesterday they will send their coal to Lyttelton.

Solid Energy signed an 18-year agreement with fellow coal miner Pike River to carry coal on the Midland rail line to Lyttelton Port for export.

Two years ago Pike River entered a contract to deliver 1.3 million tonnes of coal a year from its West Coast mine to New Plymouth for export.

Port Taranaki chief executive Roy Weaver said yesterday's announcement was a "bombshell", the Taranaki Daily News reported.

Port Taranaki was to make an $18 million investment in upgrading and had started a purpose-built coastal bulk ship.

The port has also just spent $20 million on a dredging project designed to deepen the harbour so it can accommodate much bigger ships .

Pike River chief executive Gordon Ward said that while Port Taranaki would have to wear some financial losses, he doubted the loss of the contract would impact the company's bottom line.

- NZPA