Recent refinancings for
Port of Newcastle, the world's largest thermal coal export port, and the
Loy Yang B coal-fired power plant in Victoria show that the sector is becoming increasingly reliant on a narrower group of lenders as the focus on environmental, social and governance factors upends long-standing relationships. Both deals took several months to close, underlining the challenges facing Australian borrowers in a sector with about US$13bn of loans due to mature by the end of 2023. (
See Table.)
“The ESG movement is strong and it’s very challenging to fight against it,” said a Sydney-based banker at an Asian bank. “Banks are competing for green credentials and keen to promote how ‘green and clean’ they are. It’s difficult to book new assets, particularly in thermal coal.”