Coal terminal gets smoked in long-running court fight

Contractor wanted millions after coal export terminal battle, but both sides have to pay

The Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal at Golding Point has been at the centre of a long-running court battle. Picture: Murray Ware

MILLIONS of dollars will change hands after a six-year court fight over delays at a coal export terminal.

But contractor Civil Mining and Construction has been awarded more money that its courtroom nemesis, Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal.

Bean counters may have had the calculators out on Monday after Brisbane Supreme Court ordered both sides to pay each other.

The court battle was over payments related to delays and disruptions during work at the Gladstone terminal.

CMC on Monday was awarded $3.56 million plus GST.

That amount related to claims including for earthworks, piling, and environmental management disputes.

But Wiggins Island was awarded $2.94 million for a counter-claim.

In June, Justice Peter Flanagan ordered the coal terminal to pay CMC $4.086 million for disruptions.

It was previously reported that CMC's biggest claim related to the bulk earthworks of Reclamation C Bunds.

CMC at one point asked for $14.5 million.

It blamed the coal terminal after earth and civil works took nearly seven months longer than scheduled.

Last year Justice Flanagan agreed there were some costs to pay - but nowhere near $14.5 million.

The judgment handed down on Monday showed Justice Flanagan examined timesheet and spreadsheet records before reaching his decision.

Some of the CMC claims related to wages for staff.

CMC asked to get paid $1050 per day over 67 days for a programmer it said was onsite.

But Justice Flanagan said there were no timesheets relating to that man being onsite.

The issue of costs in this case is yet to be decided.

Five miners own Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal and owe $3.5 billion to about 20 lenders.

Those debts have been the subject of negotiations this month.

The terminal's website said it could service new mines and cater to expansion of existing mines in the Surat and southern Bowen Basins. -NewsRegional

Originally published as Coal terminal gets smoked in long-running court fight