Over the past several months the empty container parks (ECPs) in Sydney have faced high demand by carriers and customers for empty container de-hire. This high demand has at times resulted in lengthy truck queues and ranks outside of the ECPs and onto port roads. On a nearly daily basis, both Simblist and Friendship roads have accommodated truck queues and at times these ranks have not only caused serious congestion but have also created potential safety issues which must be addressed. Despite requests by NSW Ports to ECPs to manage the throughput and demand for empty container de-hire trucks, the size of the truck queues for some ECPs has on days become excessive, which is not only creating hazardous traffic management conditions, but is also impacting on the safe and productive operations of other tenants in Port Botany. While the management of truck queues is the responsibility of the ECP operator, NSW Ports has decided to take action to address this issue by introducing additional temporary dedicated truck queuing areas where it is safe to do so.
Port Operator Direction
As a result, NSW Ports has decided to act by issuing the following port operator direction to all truck drivers using port roads at Port Botany, in accordance with the Notice of Port Operator Direction No. 2 of 2020. The following directions set out reasonable and practicable steps within NSW Ports' control which will be implemented, effective from 12:00AM Wednesday, 13 January 2021. These arrangements are temporary and will continue until further notice:
- NSW Ports has designated specific areas on port roads (as per the attached map) for use by truck drivers in which they can stop/queue and thereby rank while seeking to access specific ECPs.
- NSW Ports will put in place signage and line markings to clearly identify the specific truck queuing areas.
- Any truck which cannot physically queue entirely within the specific area designated for that ECP will be directed to leave the port precinct immediately.
- If a truck driver fails to follow the lawful direction to leave the port precinct immediately, enforcement action will be taken against the truck driver and/or owner of the truck/trailer.
Please share this information with your members as soon as possible and ensure that all truck drivers are aware of the new truck queuing lanes, and no stopping areas.
NSW Ports Designated Areas for Truck Queuing to ECP Sites
The suite of NSW Ports' Port Operator Directions are available on the Port Users page of our website under Safety and Security. Click here to view this page.