Challenges

• This award-winning project involved the development of a greenfield coal export facility, creating a 66 Mtpa Coal Export Terminal in three stages over eight years (from concept to completion).
• The team overcame significant challenges including difficult geotechnical conditions on site, environmental constraints, managing existing industrial waste and contaminated sites, and a challenging dredging program requiring complex interfaces with BHP Billiton and Port Waratah Coal Services.

Solutions

• Hatch (in joint venture) carried out all front-end studies on this project from its inception (concept, prefeasibility, and feasibility) through to full EPCM services for each stage of the terminal (Stages 1, 2AA, and 2F).
• Our comprehensive scope of work included: capital cost estimations, project implementation programs, specialist studies including geotechnical investigations, dredging and fill materials management, complex offshore fabrication and delivery of large modules and machine assemblies, transport logistics modeling, and ship berthing modeling.
• We also provided total procurement and contract management, including the preparation of technical specifications and commercial documentation for tendering of all significant equipment.
• A key feature of the second and third stage terminal design was to ensure minimal disruption to the existing operational plant, which was quite challenging because of additional dredging required for the third berth and limited site access.
• The completion of all three stages of the project was a success—each one under budget, ahead of schedule, and achieving nameplate capacity.
• Most importantly, the project achieved an outstanding safety record—only two lost time injuries in over eight million work hours (almost four years) with an average workforce of 600 personnel.

Highlights

The NCIG Coal Export Terminal project was the recipient of several awards including:

• Bulk Handling Facility of the Year from Australian Bulk Handling Review, 2013
• Silver Award in Safety from Australian Bulk Handling Review, 2012
• Project of the Year Award, PACE Zenith Awards, 2012
• Gold Award for Excellence in Project Management from Consult Australia, 2011
• Gold Medal Australia’s Best Building, Construction and Mining Magazine, 2011
• WorkCover NSW Leadership in Safety Award, 2010
• Bulk Handling Facility of the Year from Australian Bulk Handling Review, 2010
• Award for Excellence in Technology, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia, 2010
• Finalist, International Bulk Journal Awards, 2010