Exporters of farm produce will be – and likely are being – hit particularly badly by a policy imposed on the supply chain by the Sydney-based private container port operator.
The port operator has imposed a requirement – without consultation and without any room for discussion – that ocean shipping lines must hit a near 1:1 import / export ratio for empty containers. The port operator basically wants one empty...
Ocean shipping companies are doing their bit to fight the empty container crisis. The latest example of a shipping line combatting the empties build-up is Maersk. It has demonstrated its commitment to help the Australian container logistics industry by deploying a massive ship to Botany and Melbourne specifically to pick-up empties.
The Denmark-flagged Soroe Maersk (IMO:...
An Empty Container Park study will soon get in underway in Victoria. Government body Freight Victoria has engaged the consultancy NineSquared to carry out the study.
NineSquared carried out the NSW Empty Container Park Study.
Freight Victoria committed at a workshop in December 2020 to plan for the expansion of the Voluntary Performance Monitoring Framework Industry Workshop in parts of the Melbourne Container Supply Chain.
The State-based framework will include a set of performance indicators at...
https://shippingaustralia.com.au/examining-empty-ecp-study-to-get-underway-in-victoria/
Unfortunately, right now, empty container parks and empty container holding spaces in New South Wales have become chock-a-block with empty boxes. Even port precincts have become extra-busy and port operator NSW Ports has quite rightly imposed control measures to preserve safety. Empty container management is also becoming an issue elsewhere around Australia.
What is at the the heart of the problem?
COVID is at heart of the problem. Deprived of holidays, socialising with friends and nights out,...
Maritime analysts at internationally respected consultancy, Drewry, have shown that the global shortage of container equipment is caused by difficulties in empty container repositioning.
The global ocean-borne container equipment fleet is expected to end the year having declined 1.1 per cent to 39.9 million TEU, compared to a 3.3 per cent projected fall in 2020 global container handling, Drewry notes in its latest research note.
“This...
Ocean shipping lines are deploying sweeper and extra-loader vessels to Australia, at a high financial cost to help clear the empty container build-up. The willingness of shipping lines to make direct cost outlays and forego revenue to reduce the empty container backlog shows the incredible support being given by ocean carriers to keeping Australia’s supply chain functioning.
Empty container congestion is now a problem at major ports all...
https://shippingaustralia.com.au/ocean-shipping-companies-fight-the-empty-container-build-up/
Earlier this month, the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers released the first annual progress report for the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy. From an ocean-shipping perspective, it’s a bit of a disappointing read.
Initial remarks positive then it heads downhill
The National Freight Strategy Annual Report notes that international ocean shipping has recovered quickly after experiencing a modest,...
https://shippingaustralia.com.au/could-do-a-lot-better-first-annual-freight-chain-strategy-report/
Bad weather, a reckless campaign of nationally coordinated industrial action, infrastructure upgrades of all kinds, and a pandemic, have all contributed to creating grave disruptions to Australia’s container supply chain. Particularly in relation to the management of empty boxes.
Although little can be done about most of these contributing factors, holding the country to ransom by disrupting the supply chain through a nationally coordinated protected industrial action...
https://shippingaustralia.com.au/current-events-container-hire-and-management-of-empties/