Port Botany efficiency and productivity is improving, the Port Botany stevedore says
November 18, 2009
Efficiency has increased at Port Botany since the inception of a working group to drive productivity improvements, according to Asciano.
The group, which owns stevedore Patrick, claims the Patrick Port Botany working group has been responsible for significant increases in turnover on the landside and waterfront interfaces at the terminal.
During the week of November 9, Asciano claims Port Botany handled 6,606 trucks with an average turnaround time under 37 minutes.
It says it handled 1000 more trucks compared to the same time last year and achieved a 40 percent improvement in turnaround times.
“The recent improvements at Port Botany are a direct result of some of the changes we have made at the terminal. Improved processes and working practices combined with a greater push to 24/7 operations has produced significant operating efficiencies and higher levels of customer service for all port users”, Patrick Container Ports Divisional General Manager Paul Garaty says.
The introduction of 24-hour booking slots has also reduced dwell times at the port, Asciano says.
The claims come following threats from the NSW Government to intervene in the running of the port if stevedores did not improve efficiency.
Asciano says average Sunday truck slot utilisation has increased by over 20 percent and there was a record 90 percent improvement in the use of slots compared to this time last year.
Garaty says Patrick will continue to implement the initiatives at Port Botany to improve operating performance standards and maintain set benchmarks.
“Issues that have plagued Port Botany in the past are not insurmountable and with industry support Australia’s second largest container port can and will achieve world class performance standards on both wharfside and landside interfaces,” he says.