Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group

What Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group does

Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG) is a privately held, consortium-owned coal export terminal operator headquartered at Kooragang Island, Newcastle, New South Wales. Founded in 2010 and commencing commercial operations that same year, NCIG provides train unloading, dedicated stockpiling, and shiploading services for thermal and coking coal moving through the Port of Newcastle to international energy and steel markets. The terminal is operated as a single-asset infrastructure business with approved throughput capacity of 79 Mtpa (up from 66 Mtpa) and is governed under NSW planning approvals, ISO 14001:2015 environmental and ISO 45001:2018 occupational health and safety certifications.

The company's underlying technology stack centres on physical bulk-handling infrastructure — train dump stations, stacker/reclaimer systems, conveyor networks, and shiploaders — augmented by a proprietary Safety Culture Score methodology that integrates lead indicators across environment, practices, people, and leadership. NCIG has invested in environmental infrastructure including a recycled water pipeline commissioned in February 2023 with CoNEXA Infrastructure Partners and Hunter Water, a fleet electrification programme (32% of operational vehicles electrified in FY25), a Power Purchasing Agreement supporting its Net Zero by 2030 commitment, and biodiversity offset programmes for migratory shorebirds and the Green and Golden Bell Frog on Ash Island.

NCIG generates revenue through transaction-based terminal handling and throughput fees charged to coal mining company customers under long-term contracted relationships. Customers are simultaneously shareholders of the consortium, creating structural alignment but also concentrated revenue exposure to Hunter Valley coal producers including BHP. The business sells exclusively through direct enterprise relationships, with no public pricing disclosure, and markets its services primarily through sustainability reporting, industry ESG benchmarks (first in Australian sector in GRESB 2022 and 2023), and community engagement rather than traditional sales channels. Customer satisfaction reached 87% in FY25, when NCIG loaded 48.8 Mt of coal across 558 ships.

Name

Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group

Legal name

Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group

Website

https://ncig.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group operates the Kooragang Island coal export terminal in Newcastle, NSW, providing train unloading, dedicated stockpiling, and shiploading services to Hunter Valley coal mining shareholders for international export through Port of Newcastle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coal Export Terminal Services

akta.pro primary industry

Coal & Coke Terminals (TLAHABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coal Logistics & Transportation (Rail, Barge, Truck, Port Interface) (IMAKAIAJ)

Keywords

• Coal export terminal
• Bulk commodity logistics
• Shiploading services
• Stockpile management
• Port infrastructure operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Harwood Island

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Coal Export Terminal Services: NCIG provides critical logistical export services for the Hunter Valley Coal Chain, offering coal unloading, stockpiling, and shiploading services to coal mining company customers. Revenue is generated through terminal handling and throughput fees charged to customers for processing and exporting coal through the terminal.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NCIG owns and operates a coal export terminal on Kooragang Island, Newcastle, providing critical logistical export services for the Hunter Valley Coal Chain. Services include rail train unloading, coal stockpiling (via stackers and reclaimers), and shiploading onto bulk carrier vessels for international export, with approved throughput capacity of 79 Mtpa. The company is jointly owned by Hunter Valley coal mining company shareholders and operates under long-term commercial contracts with enterprise coal producer customers.

Product overview

Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG) operates as a single-service coal export terminal providing critical logistical export services for the Hunter Valley Coal Chain. The company's core offering is its coal handling and export terminal on Kooragang Island, NSW, which receives coal by rail, stockpiles it, and loads it onto ships for export. The terminal offers services including train unloading, coal stockpiling, and vessel loading operations. NCIG's services are structured around providing benchmark export services to coal mining customers, linking their products with international energy markets through its shiploading capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coal Export Terminal Operations Integrated coal export terminal service on Kooragang Island, Newcastle, providing train unloading via dump stations, stockpiling via stackers and reclaimers, and shiploading onto bulk carriers for international export. Serves Hunter Valley coal mining company customers under long-term commercial contracts, with approved throughput capacity of 79 Mtpa.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48.8 Mt coal loaded and 558 ships loaded in FY25
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) / Saving our Species ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024NCIG entered a three-year partnership with NPWS in collaboration with the NSW Government's Saving our Species program to safeguard the Ash Island population of Green and Golden Bell Frogs — Australia's largest and most stable population. Up to 28 artificial 'cluster pond' habitats will be constructed on Ash Island within Hunter Wetlands National Park to provide enhanced habitat, connectivity, and drought refuge for the endangered species.
• CoNEXA Infrastructure PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023CoNEXA Infrastructure Partners operates the Steel River production facility that treats wastewater from Hunter Water and further processes it to a grade safe for industrial reuse. NCIG purchases recycled water from CoNEXA, delivered via an underground pipeline network to the Kooragang Island terminal. The recycled water initiative was commissioned in February 2023 and is designed to reduce NCIG's annual dependence on potable water by up to 50%.
• Mission to Seafarers (MTS) NewcastlecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2020MTS Newcastle is a recipient of NCIG's three-year Community Partnership Program funding. MTS provides invaluable support to vessel crew visiting the Port of Newcastle, offering practical, emotional, and spiritual support including welcome shore leave, internet facilities at the Seafarer Centre, welfare and emergency support, and care packages. NCIG provides financial support to MTS, investing in the health and wellbeing of seafarers who support port operations.
• HunterWiSE (University of Newcastle)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018HunterWiSE is an initiative led by STEM academics at the University of Newcastle, empowering and creating opportunities for young women and girls pursuing careers in STEM industries. NCIG is a proud partner, hosting annual facility visits for program participants to engage with NCIG's technical professionals and discover career possibilities in the industry. NCIG also sponsors HunterWiSE Women in STEM scholarships at the University of Newcastle.
• Zeal FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015NCIG has partnered with Zeal Futures for more than 10 years for apprenticeship recruitment and vocational education and training. Twelve apprentices have been recruited through the partnership. NCIG has maintained a 100% apprentice completion rate, with apprentices recruited in trades including electrotechnology and mechanical engineering. NCIG received the Host Employer Innovation Award (2025) and Overall Host Employer of the Year (2026) at Zeal Futures Excellence Awards.
• University of NewcastlecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011NCIG has funded four separate PhD and Post-doctorate studies specifically on the Green and Golden Bell Frog with the University of Newcastle. PhD students monitor and survey the Ash Island habitat, report on wellbeing and breeding patterns of the endangered species, and provide data that enables NCIG to undertake ameliorative works. The partnership has supported five consecutive years of breeding events and maintains a viable and healthy frog population.
• Hunter WaterminorOthersHunter Water supplies treated wastewater that is further processed by CoNEXA Infrastructure Partners for NCIG's recycled water initiative. The partnership supports Hunter Water's Lower Hunter Water Security Plan, a whole-of-government strategy ensuring a resilient and sustainable water future for the region over the next 40 years.
• Port of NewcastlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCIG operates in conjunction with the Port of Newcastle for vessel loading operations. NCIG worked with Port of Newcastle alongside BHP, Port Authority NSW, and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines to successfully load the Shofu Maru — the first bulk carrier vessel to use Wind Challenger hard sail technology.
• Port Authority NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort Authority NSW regulates and manages port operations including vessel traffic management at Newcastle. NCIG works with Port Authority NSW alongside BHP and Port of Newcastle for vessel loading operations.
• National Parks and Wildlife ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCIG has worked with National Parks and Wildlife Services alongside the University of Newcastle, Hunter Bird Observers Club, and other environmental groups for over 18 months to re-establish the endangered coastal saltmarsh ecological community on Ash Island.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Aurizon: Aurizon is Australia's largest rail freight operator and a key coal haulage provider that transports Hunter Valley coal from mines to NCIG and Port Waratah terminals. It is an essential ecosystem participant enabling NCIG's terminal throughput.
• Pacific National: Pacific National is a major Australian rail freight operator that hauls coal from Hunter Valley mines to Newcastle export terminals. As a critical upstream supplier of NCIG's cargo volumes, it is a structurally important ecosystem participant.

Direct peers

• Abbot Point Coal Terminal: Abbot Point Coal Terminal near Bowen, Queensland is a coal export facility operated by Adani Australia that provides rail-receive, stockpile, and shiploading services for North Queensland coal producers, structurally analogous to NCIG's Hunter Valley operations.
• Port Waratah Coal Services: Port Waratah Coal Services operates the Carrington and Kooragang coal export terminals in Newcastle, NSW. It is the only other Hunter Valley coal chain terminal and directly competes with NCIG for Hunter Valley coal producer volumes using an identical business model.
• Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal: Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal is a major coal export terminal near Hay Point in Queensland, operating with similar dedicated stockpiling, rail unloading, and shiploading infrastructure for Bowen Basin coal producers. It is one of the largest coal terminals in Australia with directly comparable business model and operations.
• RG Tanna Coal Terminal: RG Tanna Coal Terminal is operated by Gladstone Ports Corporation and is one of the largest coal export terminals in Queensland, handling Bowen Basin metallurgical and thermal coal via rail unloading, stockpiling, and shiploading - functionally identical to NCIG's Newcastle operations.
• BMA Hay Point Coal Terminal: BMA Hay Point Coal Terminal is a Queensland coal export facility operated by the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, handling metallurgical and thermal coal with rail-receive, stockpile, and shiploading infrastructure comparable to NCIG's operations at Kooragang Island.

Broad incumbents

• Port of Newcastle: Port of Newcastle is the broader port authority that manages the surrounding port infrastructure and channels in which NCIG operates. It is a larger incumbent overseeing multiple cargo types but collaborates with NCIG for vessel loading operations.

Regional players

• Richards Bay Coal Terminal: Richards Bay Coal Terminal in South Africa is one of the largest coal export terminals in the world, with comparable throughput, stockpiling, and shiploading operations. It serves a different geographic market but operates an essentially identical export terminal business model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NewcastleCoalInfrastructureGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newcastle-coal-infrastructure-group-pty-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group