As protests in Australia over coal and climate change grow louder and more aggressive, a coal loading company in Newcastle is working on re-engaging with its community.

Key points: Major exporter Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group expects to move a record 57 million tonnes of coal this year

Major exporter Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group expects to move a record 57 million tonnes of coal this year The company has restarted its community engagement group

The company has restarted its community engagement group The Grattan Institute says it is increasingly difficult for coal to stay onside with public opinion as climate concerns increase

Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG) has just confirmed it is expecting a record year of coal tonnage through its terminal at the Port of Newcastle as new and established New South Wales mines ramp up production.

NCIG began operating in 2010, mostly sending coal to customers in Japan, Korea, and China.

CEO Aaron Johansen said this year will be bigger than ever.

"We're expecting up to 57 million tonnes through the NCIG terminal this year," he said.

"Over the last three years we've had 53 to 54 million tonnes, so we do expect an increase in line with a number of coal mines ramping up production this year."

Workers drive improvements



Mr Johansen said a recent efficiency drive based on suggestions from the local workforce has also seen a significant jump in NCIG's operating capability.

He said around $6 million was spent implementing changes based on the ideas of workers.

"We were getting a lot of suggestions from our employees on how we can run that terminal more efficiently and more effectively," Mr Johansen said.

"We spent a little bit of money, but we were able to increase our operating capability by about 14 per cent, so that's made the facilities we have a lot more productive."

The stacker reclaimer machinery that moves coal on the NCIG site at Newcastle's Kooragang Island. ( ABC News: Liz Farquhar )

He said NCIG is approved to move 66 million tonnes of coal a year, but by tweaking its operations and improving efficiencies it is now able to operate at a level equivalent to one-third more per year when required.

"We can operate to handle surges in demand, so in any one week we can operate at around that 100 million tonnes per annum level, whilst keeping within that 66 million tonne envelope for the year," Mr Johansen said.

He confirmed there were no current plans for NCIG to expand, but did not rule it out into the future.

"Right now there's coal terminal capacity [in the Port of Newcastle], between ourselves and Port Waratah Coal Services, for 210 million tonnes per annum," Mr Johansen said.

"There's [already] 160 million tonnes going out per annum so there's no current need to expand.

"Our capability is higher than our current approval, so there might be a point in time in the future when we look to align that approval with our capability.

"That will be a fairly long process, up to two years, but we have done some consultation around the potential for that."

Aiming to reconnect with Novocastrians

Earlier this year NCIG restarted its community engagement group, aiming to improve dialogue with local residents.

It comes amid growing protests across Australia over the impact of coal on climate change.

Last month police arrested 47 people in Melbourne outside a mining conference, using pepper spray and horses to force the demonstrators away from entrances to the building.

In September, an estimated 300,000 Australians gathered at climate strikes across Australia calling on the Federal Government to put an end to new coal projects.

The Grattan Institute said it was becoming increasingly difficult for the coal industry to keep public opinion onside as concerns over climate change increase.

The institute's energy director Tony Wood said coal will continue to be a major source of income for the Hunter Valley and Newcastle for some decades, but planning for a different future should start now.

"We do need to be thinking about where this is going to go in the long term. Not in the next couple of years. We don't need to panic," he said.

"We do have good quality coal, we are close to export markets, so we are in a relatively good position.

"But if you accept that the world is going to move to address climate change and the future of coal is certain to die over several decades, at the very least we can begin to plan for that.

"The reality is we're going to see the progressive, steady decline of coal, maybe over 30 or 40 years. Maybe over 20 or 30 years.

"But the main point for the Hunter region is to plan for that future, take advantage of the economic activity that we're seeing from the coal exports now, and use that to build whatever that future might turn out to be."

Mr Johansen said despite the record throughput at NCIG, he was focused on ensuring the company maintained its social licence with Novocastrians.

Activists from the Rising Tide group protest at the coal loader site on Newcastle's Kooragang Island in 2012. ( ABC News )

"I myself live in Stockton, so I know the level of interest there is in the local community around ourselves and other industry on Kooragang Island," he said.

"We can't and don't intend to change people's views on climate change and where coal sits there.

"But what we do intend to do is provide information about ourselves and how we operate, with community partnerships and sponsorships, so they can take all things into account when they make their minds up about NCIG."

Mr Johansen said the company had also started site tours for the community that were generating interest.

"People are very interested in what we're doing and that will only increase as the community expands arounds us. Certainly Fern Bay is exploding in population," he said.

"We put a lot of information out into the community but we weren't getting a lot back. So [providing] information was one way.

"We're looking for feedback from the community on their views on how we're operating, what impacts we're having — both positive and negative — so we can build that into how we operate."

A coal train on its way into the NCIG unloading station. ( ABC News: Liz Farquhar )

Coal downturn forecast

The community engagement group has met twice this year and included residents from the surrounding suburbs of Mayfield, Maryville, Stockton, Fern Bay, and Carrington.

One of the local representatives on the group, John Hayes from Mayfield, said it was vital residents had a direct link to companies like NCIG.

"There's a good cross-section of the port suburbs on the community panel," he said.

"I think NCIG have a good story to tell and it wasn't being told. I think it's good to hear a good story every now and then."

But Mr Hayes said there were still many in the Newcastle community who want coal exports to end sooner rather than later.

"I've been present at protests outside the gate and there'll always be the view that until fossil fuel stays in the ground, and is not burnt, there are going to be tremendous repercussions on the climate," he said.

He said many people were forecasting a significant downturn, and he agreed "with a lot of those forecasts".

"From the point of view of climate change and global warming, it would be a good thing when the demand for coal goes down and the shipping of coal slows down as well," he said.

"NCIG have got a lease that goes through to the 2040s. Whether there's still the same demand for coal then is very much open to question."