The Empty Container Working Group (ECWG) held its 22nd meeting on Thursday 26 August. The members committed to a number of key changes with the working group including the release of a communique after each meeting.
Continuation of Working Group
Members also expressed a desire to retain the working group as an ongoing industry representative forum. The meetings will continue to have a strategic focus on medium to longer term improvements that increase the efficiency of the empty container supply with tactical discussions if required. The meetings will occur every two months and will provide an opportunity to consider outcomes from out of session discussion between relevant stakeholders regarding identified initiatives. The Terms of Reference will be updated to address changes to meeting frequency and direction.
Snapshot of performance in the empty container supply chain
Members of the working group have identified a number of performance targets for the supply chain. Performance for July 2021 is summarised below.
Key observations from the July 2021 report included:
- Load discharge ratio: Total import volumes were up c. 5% year-on-year, while total export volumes were up 25% year-on-year. The load-discharge ratio for July was 0.99. Data received indicates the load-discharge ratio for July is likely to be <1.
- Container storage dwell time: Shipping line container dwell times have remained consistent at c. 11.3 days for the month of July. Dwell times at ECPs have increased slightly to c. 15.7 days in July.
- ?Empty container storage and utilisation of operational capacity: Utilisation of operational capacity at sites closest to the Port has increased to c. 94% in July. However, there is available capacity at sites located in Central and Outer Metropolitan areas (c. 27% utilisation). Overall utilisation across all sites in Sydney is c. 70%.
- Empty container storage - capacity offered, truck take up/arrival patterns: Aggregated data suggests that there is significant capacity available at ECPs across Sydney, in particular after-hours (before 5am and after 5pm) where utilisation is c. 24%, and on weekends where slot utilisation is c. 6%.
- ?Direct return storage - capacity offered, truck take up/arrival patterns: Figures indicate that there is significant capacity available for direct returns of empty containers to stevedore terminals and Cargolink (c. 37% utilisation), particularly after-hours (before 5am and after 5pm where utilisation is c. 17%).
- ?Provision of pre-advice information (electronic delivery order) in ECP booking systems: The overall provision of EDO remained consistent at 68% in July.
- Empty container redirection notifications: There are on average 124 redirections notifications (new and existing) per day at Port Botany. For the month of July, there was 324 new redirections notifications issued in ContainerChain, representing a 270% increase from the previous month.
Publication of performance measures
To assist industry and better promote voluntary initiatives, aggregated and de-identified data will be collated and published as monthly supply chain performance reports on the Transport for NSW website.
De-identified information on utilisation of operational capacity at selected ECPs in Sydney is also now being published in the TfNSW Open Data Hub, along with the load discharge ratio. Data can be downloaded from TfNSW Open Data Hub and Developer Portal
TfNSW ANPR Truck Tracking Project
Transport for NSW presented an update on the status of the truck tracking project for empty container parks in Sydney and overview of performance data outputs. The role out of ANPR to port based ECP's has completed with some minor back end work being completed to bring all sites on line in the coming weeks. The first draft of the performance dashboards were presented to the ECWG with drafts for public preview to follow at next meeting.
Road Transport Operator Survey
A survey of road transport operators was prepared to seek input from the transport industry on after-hours operating models, the use of alternative de-hire/collection pathways and general observations on required system improvements. The survey was completed by 50 transport operators, varying from small to large operators, with a survey completion rate of 70%. It is estimated that survey respondents represent approximately 40 to 60% of overall road-based container movements in NSW.
Key findings from the road transport operator survey include:
- Transport operators have observed a number of benefits to after-hours de-hires including better slot availability and faster turnaround times. However, these efficiency gains are likely tempered by additional labour and vehicle operating costs.
- Operators are able to achieve greater two-way utilisation of vehicles and faster turnaround times through direct returns. However, a number of factors impact on the ability to increase direct returns, including sudden closure of terminal facilities, slot availability and inconsistency in operating hours. If these impediments were lessened or removed, transport operators would be more willing to undertake direct returns to stevedore terminals/Cargolink.
- Operators noted that while they may benefit from capacity increases further inland from the Port, any potential benefits are likely to be offset by the need to travel to the Port to collect containers.
- Transport operators would like to see greater slot availability, labour and machinery, and use of automated truck processing to improve turnaround times at ECPs.
- Transport operators are particularly concerned about the rising costs to de-hire/collect empty containers in NSW.
An action item was taken for a sub-group to review key findings and propose actions from the road operator survey and report back to the ECWG at the next meeting.
ECP improvements
The working group was provided with an update on a recent initiative by an ECP operator to split export pick-up and import de-hire slots at Sydney sites. Industry feedback suggests the trial is working well and is providing benefits to both the transport operator (through improved slot availability and turnaround times) and the ECP operator (through improving the velocity of truck movements and visibility over slot utilisation which helps with asset management).
Regards
Scott Greenow
Director Operations
Freight
Customer Strategy and Technology
Transport for NSW