The Australia government has approved a controversial plan to expand the existing coal port at Abbot Point in Queensland.
The expansion project will involve dredging 1m cubic meters of seabed near the Great Barrier Reef, and will see Abbot Point become one of the world’s largest coal ports. It will serve Indian firm Adani Group’s coal mine project, which is currently under development in the region, and is expected increase exports from 50m tonnes a year to 120m tonnes.
Adani Group said in a statement that it welcomed the approval, and the terminal’s expansion was integral to the mine’s development.
The project has been opposed by environmentalists as they believed the project will have a significant impact on the area’s wildlife and surrounds.
