(Adds details)
PERTH, April 2 (Reuters) - Australia's Newcastle port, the
world's largest coal export terminal, said it had eased
shipping restrictions on Thursday as sea conditions had
improved after a storm.
Two vessels have departed the port early this morning,
while two other coal ships were due to arrive into the port
later in the day, said a spokesman for the port.
Australia's weather bureau continued to warn of the risk of
heavy rainfall in the region around Newcastle on Thursday,
saying heavier rain offshore was expected to move back to the
coast during the day.
The eastern coast port, which halted shipping late on
Tuesday, said it would continue to monitor weather and tide
conditions to decide if it can resume normal operations.
Producer sources said the rains of the past few days meant
most firms would have either halted or slowed mining at
open-cut pits in the Hunter Valley region near the port, which
could potentially lead to delays in shipments if the rain
continues to the end of the week. [ID:nSYD495897]
About 80 percent of the coal shipped through the port is
thermal coal used mainly by power stations. Companies shipping
through Newcastle include Xstrata Plc (XTA.L), Coal & Allied
Industries Ltd (CNA.AX), majority-owned by Rio Tinto Ltd
(RIO.AX)(RIO.L) and Centennial Coal Ltd (CEY.AX).
BHP Billition Ltd (BHP.AX)(BLT.L) could not immediately
comment if its coal mining operations in the Hunter Valley had
been affected, while Rio and Xstrata could not be reached for
comment.
(Reporting by Fayen Wong; Editing by James Thornhill)
