The $5billion Terminal 4 project Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) proposes for Kooragang Island would allow for an extra 120million tonnes of coal to be exported through the Port of Newcastle.

PWCS operates two coal-loaders at Carrington and Kooragang Island, which are due to reach the 145million tonne capacity by 2014.

Chief executive Hennie du Plooy said the approval process was on track and if construction started in a year it would be ready to export coal by 2015.

‘‘Whether or not it gets delivered in time will be determined to some extent by the development-approval process and we are aiming to get that done in about a year,’’ he said.

Dust monitoring was the major concern from community consultation.

‘‘There were a number of issues raised like visual amenity from the Stockton side, the noise, which we know is associated mostly with the rail alignment, but the number one concern was dust,’’ Mr du Plooy said.

‘‘I expect that the EA [environmental assessment] will attract significant attention and we are ready to deal with that.

‘‘Carrington is certainly ahead of Kooragang because it already has online monitors, environmental monitoring and weather conditions all coming into the one system that manages the sprays.

‘‘We haven’t got that here at Kooragang yet but it will go into T4.’’ He dismissed a planning document showing a potential flood plain on the T4 site. He said terminal construction would negate concerns.