By Michele Batchelor Australia, the world's biggest exporter of coal, risks losing billions of dollars in export revenue over the next decade if port and rail congestion are not resolved, government figures show. The loss could amount to as much as 7.9 billion Australian dollars, or $6.7 billion.

By Katherine Espina and Michele Batchelor Australian coal-mining companies may lose more than 350 million Australian dollars, or $301 million, this year because bottlenecks and storms are delaying ships outside Newcastle, the world's largest port for coal exports.

By Angela Macdonald-Smith Coal shipments from the Australian port of Newcastle, the world's biggest coal-export harbor, will be disrupted all week after storms closed the terminals and flooding and landslides affected the railway to the port.

By Michele Batchelor Prime Minister John Howard of Australia said he wants to ease delays at Newcastle, Australia, where the number of ships waiting to load lengthened to a record this week.