QR National awards 76 million contract for Wiggins Island Rail Project
QR National has awarded a $76 million contract for the Wiggins Island Rail Project, one of Australia’s largest rail infrastructure projects.
Abigroup has been appointed by QR National to undertake the civil works for the 13 kilometre balloon loop near Gladstone, where coal trains will be unloaded at the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal.
QR National Network Executive Vice President Michael Carter said it was the first major contract for the Wiggins Island Rail Project which is scheduled to start railings for customers from mid-2014.
“The signing of this contract is a significant milestone for the project. It means Abigroup can hit the ground and have earthworks underway in coming weeks,” Mr Carter said.
“The Balloon Loop is one of six key worksites for Stage One of WIRP. The other five are the Rocklands to Stanwell Duplication, Dingo to Bluff Duplication, Moura East upgrade, North Coast Line upgrade and Bauhinia North Branch upgrade.
“The Wiggins Island Rail Project will support the initial 27 million tonnes per annum of coal to Wiggins Island Coal Terminal and leverages our existing rail infrastructure to boost coal exports from the southern end of the Bowen Basin. “
Mr Carter said the Wiggins Island Rail Project formed a central part of QR National’s coal infrastructure expansion program that is adding more than 70 million tonnes of capacity to the Central Queensland coal network, taking total capacity to in excess of 300 million tonnes by 2015.
QR National recently commissioned stage 1 of the $1.1 billion Goonyella to Abbott Point Expansion project that will lift coal exports to Abbot Point Coal Terminal by 33 million tonnes.
Today’s announcement of the Abigroup contract follows QR National’s signing of an agreement with a consortium of coal companies to construct the Wiggins Island Rail Project to service a new export terminal at Gladstone.
Wiggins Island Rail project involves the staged development of new rail lines and upgrading of existing lines to service the new Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal at the Port of Gladstone.