North may barge in on coal

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33819, 16 April 1975, Page 1

North may barge in on coal

(By

KEN COATES)

Even before the Gov-il ernment has given the)] green light to the export ’ of Mount Davy coal to <

Japan, a battle is looming on whether it should be shipped north by barge for export or railed through the Southern Alps to Lyttelton.

The Railways Department is not saying what it would cost to provide new, specially designed trucks and locomotives to haul the coal to the east coast.

A spokesman said yesterday that extensive surveys

thad been made of what was (required, arid recommendations had been made in a report to an inter-department committee.

In the meantime, a revival of interest by the Northland Harbour Board in a scheme to carry coal by barge to Marsden Point for loading into bulk carriers is reported. The board proposed a similar scheme for shipping coal north from Westport in 1972.

“We accept the desirability of exporting the Mount Davy coal, but will wait for the facts to emerge,” the chairman of the West Coast Regional Development Council

(Mr D. J. Truman) said yesterday. The Northland Harbour Board had not disclosed its cost structure, because it feared that immediately it did so the Railways Department would undercut it. “The Northland Board has not yet made an approach, but we are expecting a visit to Greymouth within the next few weeks from board representatives,” said Mr Truman.

Although the Railways is not prepared to speak out officially against carrying the coal north by barge, it is clear that railing Mount Davy coal to Lyttelton would be a’ shot in the arm for the

West Coast rail link, which runs at a loss.

The general manager of the Lyttelton Harbour Board (Mr J. A. McPhail) said yesterday that the board’s attitude was that carrying coal north by barge would be uneconomic, because of the double handling involved.

: However, the cost might 'well be affected by the economics of conveyer bulk loading and unloading. The Minister of Transport (Sir Basil Arthur) is known to be a firm supporter of using barges and Government attitudes will loom large in the final decision.