WESTERN Australia's major shipping and transport stakeholders are cooperating closely to ensure smooth sailing at the Fremantle Ports this coming Christmas period.
WESTERN Australia's major shipping and transport stakeholders are cooperating closely to ensure smooth sailing at the Fremantle Ports this coming Christmas period.
In the past, there have been problems with bottlenecks at the docks as trucks try to transport shipping containers.
The most significant disruption was during the Christmas and New Year period of 2006-07, when extensive delays were experienced due to a 20 per cent increase in the volume of trade going through the port.
In August 2007, more than 60 relevant stakeholders attended a workshop to examine the situation.
Operations ran smoothly last Christmas, thanks largely to this workshop, but container trade has grown almost 30 per cent during the past two years, requiring further careful planning.
Although confidence is high among the various transport groups and the port and government representatives, the US financial crisis has led to some uncertainty about coping with the Christmas rush.
However, strategic monthly meetings are currently taking place, aimed at reducing the likelihood of any such problems repeating themselves this year.
Attending these meetings, chaired by WA port operations task force executive officer, Vernon Durling, are representatives of Transport Forum WA, Fremantle Port Authority, Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Council of Australia, stevedores, exporters and importers, container terminal workers, Aqis, Customs, rail companies and shipping organisations.
The regularity of the meetings is aimed at keeping communication lines well and truly open.
Transport Forum WA's chief executive, Ian King, is extremely confident about the impending busy period but is uncertain how the US crisis will affect the situation.
"Pandemonium certainly is possible, you wonder what's going to happen after what we've seen the last few weeks," Mr King said.
"But we've learned from previous years and comparing what happened in Christmas 2006 with Christmas 2007 is like comparing chalk and cheese.
"And this year we hope to have it running even better."
But that's not to say things are guaranteed to run smoothly.
"All the ducks are lined up at the moment but if that line breaks it could be catastrophic," Mr King said.
"Everyone is working closely with all parties and all parties respect each other and if the communication chain keeps operating we shouldn't have any problems."
Fremantle Port Authority's manager logistics, Doug Brindal, describes the main thrust of their action plan as three-pronged.
"The first key area will focus on expanding capacity during the Christmas peak, including opening container terminals for longer and doing bulk runs," Mr Brindal said.
Another vital area is maintaining the flow of information to the industry.
"Building awareness of operating arrangements and schedules through existing communication channels will help," he said.
"The third area is the continued development of the rail network.
"The emphasis on building up the railway's market share to 15 per cent for the transportation of containers will help take pressure off the trucks, take pressure off the roads and off the terminals.
"It's a cooperative effort and even though there is no magic wand we're confident the container supply chain will perform well."
