Bright prospects for coal

Press, 5 December 1979, Page 12

Bright prospects for coal

I PA Wellington Prospects for huge earnings for New Zealand coal i and ironsands exports to j Europe have opened up I with the decision of the ■ Belgian port authorities at | Zeebruge to spend hun- : dreds of millions of dolI lars developing a special port to handle this trade. Mr .Maurie Michiels, the general manager of the Bru g e s-Zeebruge Port Authority. disclosed in Wellington that his organisations have decided to go ahead with developing this installation. It will not be completed until 1982-83. “I am terribly excited at j the prospects for New | Zealand coal in this venture,” he said. “I understand you will have it available for us at the right price, and that the quality is good.” Without elaborating further, Mr Michiels said it would be up to the coal and iron ore companies which were partners in the venture to complete the trade deals with New Zealand. He said the 25ha site being developed was being designed to handle up to three million tonnes of Australian and New Zealand coal, and five million tonnes of iron ore. Mr Michiels said it was planned to ship the coal to Europe in bulk. He believed there were prospects for New Zealand ironsand, but contacts I would have to be made I with steel companies in 1 France. Luxemburg, and West Germany which used road and rail links with the huge Zeebruge port installation. Mr Michiels, whose port is a main entry point for New Zealand goods to Europe, said he was keen to discuss prospects for developing the coal and I steel trade.