Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) representatives today met with executives from DP World and NSW Ports. We are grateful to both entities who provided detail of the significantly improved operations at DP World as outlined in this evening's Customer Update titled "Finalisation of Enterprise Agreements at DP World Australia".
As well as announcing the long awaited finalisation of their Enterprise Agreement, DP World has made the following important declaration:
In addition to finalising agreements, we are proud that we have been able to provide you with a reliable service. Over the past five months, DP World Australia has enjoyed zero industrial action at our East-Coast terminals. This stability has enabled the resumption of pre- bargaining levels of productivity and reduced congestion in the Australian network.
All our terminals are operating normally and without berthing delays. We will continue to accept subcontracts, ad hoc callers, and above contract exchanges which includes empty container repositioning.
Based on this advice, our state / federal regulators (including the Productivity Commission and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) must now scrutinise the validity of shipping lines administering: - congestion surcharges on exporters and importers of up to USD 350 per TEU;
- container detention penalties for 'late' dehire of empty containers and refusal to compensate importers for the cost to staged empty container movements when shipping line contracted empty container parks are at capacity.
Its time for shipping lines to be held accountable for their responsibilities, stop ripping off our industry and address the problems that are largely of their own making. |