Oceania

August 16, 2023

On the ocean

Oceania import, export and coastal service remain in place, with the number of sailings offered reflective of the current market environment.

As we are currently in BMSB season, there is an additional risk for vessels found to be contaminated as they may incur additional delays on top of the existing challenges.

In ports and terminals

Ports across Australia remain heavily congested due to a large amount of cargo arriving with seed contamination. With most terminals across the country filling with quarantined cargo, we are working with local partners as well as our own processing facilities to secure additional capacity for import cargo.

Melbourne - Terminal congestion continues to be a challenge, though the number of quarantine-held shipments is coming down. Delays are currently at least 14 days. Alternative arrangements made now for Melbourne vessels to discharge at Appleton dock (as opposed to MIRRAT) to provide quicker discharge opportunities.

Port Kembla - Increased vessel calls is causing both terminal and berth congestion, as these vessels are bring in larger volumes. Quarantine holds are also having an impact. Current delays are around 14 days.

Brisbane - Currently experiencing regular delays in Brisbane due to berth congestion, though has been reduced to 2-4 days. Recently several vessels with larger than usual volumes is also causing congestion issues.

Fremantle - No major delays at the moment, though the berthing schedule is impacted by vessel bunching and non-RoRo vessels spending more time in port. Longer delays are possible in the near future due to several general cargo vessels being scheduled.

Auckland - Regular delays of 1-2 days due to berth congestion and vessel bunching.

At our equipment processing centers

Operations: Business is expected to be as usual, with operational and build planning in place to ensure no customer delays. National industry wide labor shortages have been present for the industry as a whole, including several of our competitors, We continue to take innovative measures to combat this issue.

Global part shortages have meant delays / schedule adjustments for several customers, we continue to stay close and adjust our internal schedules accordingly.

We are continuing to work closely with our customer base, to forecast build and storage schedules and capacities for 2023 volumes. Our cargo mix is varied in terms of segment and seasonality, so planning and forecasting data from our customers is paramount.

We welcome the opportunity for additional workload across our Australian network, as all states relish the opportunity of growth. Investment where required to support our diverse and expansive national customer base continues to be considered where required.

Inland distribution

Delays with road and rail transport continues to be a challenge, as equipment, labor and logistics congestion have caused customers to look at less traditional methods to move their cargo around the country. 2023 haulers across multiple delivery modes (automotive, heavy haulage, linehaul etc.) are looking to invest in additional resources, equipment and also seek efficiency gains, to support the expected volumes.