Fremantle Port has maintained national recognition as a leader in container handling rates.
Since December 2000, the port has outperformed national rivals Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
The crane rate at September 2001 reached 28.5 containers per hour, according to statistics published by the Bureau of Transport Economics in Canberra.
The Five-Port average crane rate for the September period was 25.8.
Fremantle has bettered this figure for at least the past two years, while Sydney remains the slowest port nationally in crane rate over the same period.
Crane rates reflect a port’s efficiency and competitiveness. An increase in rates from 24.9 in September 2000 to the current figure of 28.5 may have contributed to Fremantle’s 8 per cent increase in container volumes since January 2001.
A recent external audit of Fremantle Ports’ environmental management has shown good results.
In December 2000, the port became one of three Australian ports to achieve certification under international environ-mental standard ISO 14001.
The port performed to the requirements of ISO 14001, with particularly favourable results in the areas of communications, integration of safety, environment and community involvement.
