Logistics News

Port Botany gains additional empty container storage

Tyne Container Services to operate site planned to be open all hours

 

Port Botany is being graced by a new 2.4 hectare empty container park (ECP), NSW Ports highlights. 

Located within the port on Simblist Road, the new ECP is leased by Tyne Container Services (TCS) and will operate 24/7, providing a full service facility.

NSW Ports says it adjoins the existing Tyne (MT Movements) container park to effectively ‘super-size’ the site, delivering an additional 5,000 TEU in empty container capacity. 

And that the decision to utilise the port land for empty container storage “will deliver much needed empty container capacity to support growth and efficiencies in the container supply chain”, it adds. 

“NSW is an import dominant container market, which can lead to high demand for empty container storage capacity during peak seasons,” NSW Ports CEO Marika Calfas says.

“We continue to invest in Port Botany to ensure its ability to efficiently and sustainably cater for trade growth, and through this development we have optimised the utilisation of existing land to create an additional 5,000 TEU in container storage capacity to enhance the productivity and efficiency of empty container movements.”

The facility is due to open in a matter of weeks.

“Through clever design and construction, we’ve been able to create further operational capacity and expand our ability to handle empty container volumes,” TCS director Aaron Powell says.

“The new empty container park will have capacity to handle both empty containers bound for overseas re-deployment as well as empty containers for re-use as full exports.

“This coordinated container movement means we can better service our shipping line customers and we look forward to commencing our new operations in June.”

Construction of the new empty container park was delivered by Ward Civil and took four months to complete. 


Read about backing for rail duplication at Port Botany, here


Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) sees the move as a positive development at a time when the trend has been the other way.

And it is urging improved information exchange and visibility to boost productivity around the port.

“For some time now, the landside container logistics sector has been concerned with a shrinking of empty container management capacity in NSW, which has contributed to some truck processing congestion at the remaining facilities.” CTAA director Neil Chambers observes.

“It’s great news that capacity has been added in the Port Botany precinct, and we look forward to its operation.

“Still, though, when the Sydney Gateway road connection project is built, empty container management capacity will be impacted in St Peters. So, we are keen to ensure that remaining capacity is bolstered by improved interface efficiencies.

“One of the clear lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic is that container logistics, along with other freight services, is essential, and we must continue to find ways to build container supply chain resilience and productivity in the future.”

CTAA is making representations to the NSW government and to Transport for NSW on the need to tackle existing processes in processing container truck arrivals at ECPS that it regards as archaic.

It views the processes as still being hampered by a lack of information provision and visibility, “which leads to sub-optimal gate-in activities and slower truck turnaround times. Also, we lack a true measure of any truck queuing delays” at ECPs

It says measures to improve these issues will require the cooperation of all parties in the container logistics chain include:

  • container shipping lines providing electronic messaging in advance on empty import container de-hire instructions (100 per cent of the time)
  • lines working with their ECP providers to improve information provision on suitable export container stock availability against valid export booking releases;
  • greater information visibility and data sharing on empty container de-hire re-directions
  • transport operators and drivers embracing further technology applications in-cab and change management; and
  • ECP operators actively promoting paperless processing, forklift allocation and improved truck turn time velocity.

 

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