The Port Kembla Port Corporation yesterday confirmed 13 of the 15 ships at anchor were waiting to access the coal terminal, where stoppages have been occurring since the start of February.

Chief executive officer Dom Figliomeni said the number was much higher than usual.

Shipping agent Fiero Mammone, of Gulf Agency Company, also confirmed Port Kembla had lost ships to other ports as a result of the industrial action, which is set to continue next week.

‘‘I will just say that three vessels that were affected by the dispute have loaded cargo elsewhere in Australia,’’ Mr Mammone said.

The vessels had travelled to other east coast coal ports, causing a loss of income at Port Kembla, he said.

A deal to end the strikes at the coal terminal still appears a long way off.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) this week notified terminal management of further protected action to take place in two-hour blocks on Monday and Tuesday.

A 24-hour stoppage is scheduled this weekend.

Job security provisions have been a major sticking point.

The company has applied to Fair Work Australia (FWA) for a scope order stating who would be covered under the new enterprise agreement.

Coal terminal general manager Peter Green said he also hoped to schedule a meeting today.

CFMEU district vice-president Bob Timbs yesterday said the union had received no official contact from coal terminal management since last Friday.

‘‘We will just continue doing what we’re doing until the company contacts us wishing to start negotiations again,’’ Mr Timbs said.

He welcomed the scope order application.

‘‘We are certainly not opposed to the company using Fair Work Australia to arbitrate it,’’ he said, but added it was a ‘‘double standard’’ considering the company wanted FWA to arbitrate on scope but not on the enterprise agreement.

Mr Timbs confirmed terminal workers had unloaded trains from Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan mine at Helensburgh after concerns about the mine’s stockpile