Competitiveness of Australian Coal in Relation to Transport Distance

Abstract

Rail, port and shipping charges represent 30 to 50 of landed costs for Australian coal mines selling to Asia. This proportion is higher for sales to Europe, yet it is in Europe where Australian producers are aiming for increased market share. The landed cost of coal to the international customer is the key parameter which determines market competitiveness. The objective of this study is to examine Australian export coal competitiveness in terms of transport distance. The approach used examines world coking coal and steaming coal production and the transport distances between major exporting regions and importing countries. Reference is made to the importance of land transport costs and a comparative approach for emphasising the relative magnitude of this factor is developed. Models developed are examined in terms of Australia's exports and a conclusion is reached that a reduction in rail freight costs would be an effective measure for improving the competitiveness of Australia's coal industry.

Meeting Name

1994 AusIMM Annual Conference (1994: Aug. 5-9, Darwin, Australia)

Department(s)

Mining Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Australia; Coal; Shipping

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1994 Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

09 Aug 1994

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