The Freight and Trade Alliance (FTA) reports that there has been little relief for transport operators in the ongoing fight to reduce the empty containers at Sydney’s Port Botany terminal. Following Transport NSW (TfNSW) 2020 End of Year Summary which outlined the long term initiatives in place to reduce the empty container congestion.
The impacts have expanded to Melbourne’s terminal with operators expressing that a number of parks are close to, if not, at maximum capacity whilst others are experiencing truck queueing which is resulting in operators receiving fines.
To address the issue, NSW Ports has taken action by introducing additional temporary dedicated truck queueing areas. Read the Port Botany Truck queueing action guide here.
The TfNSW End of Year Summary discusses the current measures as well as future actions in place to reduce the ongoing issue of empty container congestion at Port Botany and Melbourne Ports. The release is being examined by the Empty Container Working Group (ECWG).
The summary identifies that “a record numbers of empty containers have been exported from Port Botany in recent months and that shipping lines and stevedores are continuing to maximise evacuation of empty containers from Sydney”. The immediate measures that are being taken to address the empty container situation are:
- a shipping line reported reducing its inventory of empty containers from 13,000 to 5000 TEUs
- another reducing its inventory of empty containers from 25,000 to 16,000 TEUs
- a third shipping line has completely evacuated its empty container stock out of NSW
- shipping lines are diverting vessels from normal schedules to dock at Port Botany to evacuate empty containers
- shipping lines and stevedores working together to maximise container exchanges with a focus on evacuating empty containers.
The FTA has acknowledged the positive contributions from all partners to clear the empty containers. Although, the FTA identifies the continuation of significant issues with several major shipping lines causing major operational issues. These issues are resulting in large scale re-directions, staged movements, delays and costs that are ultimately being passed on down the supply chain to importers.
Transport NSW has made reference in the summary “It is expected that these increased efforts by shipping lines and stevedores will assist in significantly reducing the backlog of surplus empty containers at Port Botany”.
The FTA has requested a forecast as to when the empty container congestion may clear or when transport operators can move containers from their yards. This is all in an effort to return to our once efficient supply chain.
We will continue to monitor the landscape and provide updates where necessary.
