A year later we can report that container trade is up at three leading container ports and results for 2012 would indicate that further growth is underway.
Melbourne
TEU throughput in 2011 = 2,506,726
Expanding automotive capacity
USD 1.6 billion Port Capacity Project
Container trade through the Port of Melbourne reached a milestone in 2011, passing through the 2.5 million container mark to record a throughput of 2,506,726 twenty foot equivalent units (TEU) in the full calendar year, up 6.6% on the 2010 result. As the largest container and general cargo port in Australasia, the Port of Melbourne is undertaking a USD 1.6 billion expansion of its container and automotive capacity to consolidate its position as the market leader in these trade sectors. Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) joined the Victorian Government in announcing the US$1.2 billion Port Capacity Project which includes the re-development of Webb Dock, together with infrastructure upgrades at Swanson Dock, to meet forecast container trade growth. The project represents the largest landside port project in a generation and will provide for an additional container handling capacity of one million TEU at a newly configured Webb Dock. The project will create 2,600 jobs and ensure Victoria’s short to mid-term container capacity requirements are met. Scheduled for completion towards the end of 2016, the project provides an opportunity for innovation and will be subject to a competitive bidding process focused on productivity, efficiency and effective traffic management systems. As an integral part of the Port Capacity Project, PoMC has commenced work on the development of Australasia’s pre-eminent automotive facility representing a capital investment of around USD400 million. The project will extend the port’s automotive capacity to handle around 600,000 new motor vehicles annually and feature at least 12 hectares of dedicated on-dock pre-delivery inspection facilities. Located towards the northern end of Webb Dock, south of West Gate Bridge, these facilities will streamline delivery to dealerships and provide greater efficiency. Additional shipping berths at Webb Dock West will provide 920 meters of continuous quay-line to accommodate the automotive trade. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2017 and its delivery will be staged alongside the container terminal development.
Brisbane
TEU throughput in 2011 = 978,814
TEU breaks 1 million mark in 2012
Located at the mouth of the Brisbane River, and managed and developed by the Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL), under a 99-year lease from the Queensland Government, the Port of Brisbane is Australia’s fastest growing container port, and Queensland’s largest general cargo port. The Port has seven container berths (1,800m of quayline), which are leased and operated by two stevedores. DP World Brisbane leases and operates Berth 4-7, with two conventional Panamax container gantry cranes, two Post-Panamax and two Super Post-Panamax cranes. Patrick leases and operates Berths 8-10, with three conventional Panamax container gantry cranes, two Post-Panamax cranes, and 27 automated straddle carriers. Following the completion of Berth 10 in 2009, Patrick and DP World Brisbane increased their quayline to 900m each. Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd owns the wharves, provides a significant proportion of fixed improvements, and issues priority-use licences and leases for their operation. Despite a difficult start to 2011 following Queensland’s natural disasters, container trade through the Port of Brisbane increased by 6.5% to reach a record 978,814 TEU in 2010/2011. Imports increased 7.4% overall, as the strong Australian dollar drove solid increases in household items, electrical equipment, paper and wood pulp, and iron and steel. Imports of building products decreased, reflecting the softening in residential building activity.
Exports also increased overall, up 6% for the year. Cotton and meat products were the standout exports, due to strong demand from Asian customers for our high-quality products. In 2012 the port celebrated a new record handling container throughput of over 1 million containers for the first time. Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) Chief Executive Officer, Russell Smith, said the result marked a significant milestone in the port’s history.“This caps off a decade of solid growth in container trade for the Port of Brisbane, with a compound annual growth rate of 8%,” Smith said. “What makes this milestone all the more impressive is the fact that it’s happened despite a difficult economic environment both domestically and overseas. It demonstrates the extremely robust nature of the Port of Brisbane due to our diverse trade base, strategic location and significant land base. This is something we continue to successfully leverage in order to drive new and increased trade through the port. We’re predicting continued growth in containers over the next decade, and our focus will be on working with the supply and logistics chain to ensure Brisbane is positioned to accommodate this growth,” Smith said.
Sydney
TEU throughput in 2011 = 2,020,000
Third container terminal at Port Botany, completed on time and under budget
$172.3 million invested in new capital projects
In 2011 Sydney saw container traffic at Port Botany reach 2.02 mil
lion TEU – exceeding 2 million TEU for the first time ever in a financial year. “On the back of record container movement, Sydney Ports has recorded a strong financial result with net profit after tax increasing by 24.3 per cent to $73.5 million for the 2010/11 financial year. “We have now seen ten years of consecutive annual container trade growth records for Port Botany,” Gilfillan said. Sydney’s commercial ports in Port Jackson and Botany Bay now handle $61 billion of trade every year, contribute $2.5 billion to the NSW economy and generate 17,000 jobs. The volume of container trade coming through the port of Botany has been growing at an average annual growth rate of 7.9 percent since containerisation in 1971. Total trade for 2010/11 was 29.7 million mass tonnes, an increase of 5.6 per cent on the previous financial year. The Annual Report shows that total revenue increased by 16 per cent to $255.6 million. So far 2012 seems on track to be a good year for the port with container trade through Port Botany reaching over 177,340 TEU in May 2012, up by 9.7 percent on May 2011. Full containerised imports for May 2012 reached 87,510 TEU, 8.6 percent higher than May 2011. This is due to increased volumes of machinery and transport equipment, including electrical items such as washing machines, TV’s and general household appliances. According to Gilfillan the comparative improvement is largely helped by increased chemical imports – up 10.6% – with the majority being imported from USA and China. There was also a big increase in miscellaneous manufactured articles which include furniture, toys and other consumer products – these increased by 12.6%. “Combined, these commodities represent over 59 per cent of total full containerised imports. The majority of containerised imports were sourced from East Asia (47.2 percent) and Europe (14.3 percent), which combined accounted for over 61 percent of total container imports through Port Botany.” “Full containerised exports reached 41,302 TEU in May 2012, up by 12.5 per cent on the same period last year. The leading containerised exports for the month of May were machinery and
transport equipment, chemicals and cereals. Combined, these commodities represent
30 percent of total exports. Cotton was also up by 18% compared to last year due largely to an early start to the cotton season and additional demand from Asia. India which is the world’s second largest producer halted cotton exports to maintain domestic consumption which has added to the exports coming from NSW. The majority of containerised exports were sent to East Asia (43.0 percent) and South East Asia (18.8 percent), which combined accounted for over 61 percent of total container exports through Port Botany. In terms of improvements achieved in 2012/2011 Sydney Ports invested $172.3 million in new capital projects, which contributed to an increase in total non-current assets of 16 percent to $1.8 billion. “The most visible representation of our success was the completion of the third container terminal at Port Botany, on time and under budget,” Gilfillan said. “This $1 billion project will enable a doubling of our container capacity once it is tenanted by Hutchison Port Holdings.” Gilfillan said that in 2010/11, Sydney Ports had also moved to the contracting stage of a second bulk liquids berth at Port Botany and had moved ahead with development of an intermodal logistics centre at Enfield. Planning approval for the new cruise passenger terminal at White Bay was also obtained. The Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy (PBLIS), implemented on 28 February 2011, had consistently reduced truck average turnarounds at Port Botany from greater than 50 minutes to around 30 minutes per truck. Other Sydney Ports milestones achieved during 2010/11 included the PBLIS Truck Marshalling site identified for future use by truck drivers; completion of construction and fit-out of a new Operations Centre at Port Botany; the Vessel Traffic Services System relocated from Millers Point in Sydney to Port Botany; and growth in the cruise market of 29 per cent. “Sydney remains Australia’s passenger cruise capital, with remarkable growth in the number of visits, 153 in 2010/11 compared to 119 the previous year,” Gilfillan said.