Sydney (Platts)--2Mar2011/129 am EST/629 GMT

Australia's Queensland Alumina Ltd, which is behind schedule with alumina shipments due to decreased output associated with boiler problems at its plant, may be able to clear its shipping backlog by mid-March at best, a source said Wednesday. This would, however, depend on how QAL's alumina production goes, along with the schedule for the discharge of fuel oil and caustic soda at Gladstone port in Queensland. The port has nine berths, two of which handle alumina and other commodities.

"It's hard to estimate but hopefully middle of March," a source familiar with the port's shipping schedules said Wednesday.

On Wednesday there were two alumina-chartered ships -- STX Jasmine and CSL Atlantic -- waiting at the port's anchorage. CSL Atlantic is slated to berth on Thursday, loading 22,000 mt within 24 to 48 hours for shipment to Newcastle in the state of New South Wales.

STX Jasmine is tentatively scheduled to berth on March 9, loading 31,500 mt of alumina for shipment in the Middle East. By then STX Jasmine would have waited about 34 days to berth. Separately, port documents dated March 2 indicated that seven other ships are scheduled to arrive at Gladstone between March 6 and April 13 to pick up 259,690 mt of alumina.

QAL's alumina plant developed boiler problems more than a month ago and alumina output has been reduced since. Two weeks ago, a source had estimated that it may be another three weeks before the unit is able to run at its full 3.95 million mt/year capacity. QAL's production loss contributed to a $19/mt rise in the price of alumina in Asia in the past month to $401/mt FOB Australia at the close of market Tuesday, for a standard sized cargo to be shipped in the next 30-60 days.

QAL is a 80:20 joint venture between Rio Tinto and Rusal.

Rio Tinto's spokesman was unable to estimate how long the plant's repairs would take. TWO ALUMINA SHIPS AT GLADSTONE PORT ANCHORAGE ETA VESSEL LOAD STATUS 2/5 Shou Guang Hai 25 Sailed 2/27 2/11 STX Jasmine 31.5 At anchor (estimated to berth 3/9) 2/12 Duncan Bay 26.25 Sailed 3/1 2/21 CSL Melbourne 48.5 Sailed 2/27 3/3 CSL Atlantic 22 At anchor 3/6 Super Challenge 22.44 3/14 Yi Meng Shan 38.5 3/20 TBN 60 3/24 Da Bie Shan 37.5 3/28 TBN 37.5 4/12 TBN 26.25 4/13 TBN 37.5

ETA=estimated time of arrival TBN=to be nominated Alumina berths "Fisherman's Landing 2" and "South Trees East"

--Joanna Lim, joanna_lim@platts.com

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