Port Botany reform to lift rail productivity – Part Two

To read Part One of this story click here

By Kazi Dolezal

The PBRT comprises of Sydney Ports Corporation, ARTC, RailCorp, Independent Rail, Patrick PortLink, POTA, SouthSpur, Freightliner, and Stevedores – DP World and Patrick. Subject matter experts are also called upon to provide guidance from time to time, such as technology providers, Customs and AQIS.
The team is working toward enhancing rail operational performance, transport chain visibility and the modal shift to rail, and is purportedly “on track” to deliver the improved rail supply chain operations.
Improvements to date include an increase of 43,000 TEU transported through Port Botany by rail last financial year, with rail modal share increasing to 23 per cent of container trade in 2008/09.
Other major improvements to the rail supply chain include weekly port rail performance reporting on a dedicated website, the development of proposed rail KPI’s to help formulate business rules for the rail supply chain and formalising an overarching Rail Supply Chain Management Structure linking all parties in the chain.
A Supply Chain Improvement Strategy has been implemented to conduct root cause analysis of problem train services, assess constraints in the rail supply chain and target solutions to improve service standards. Dedicated 600 metre port shuttles are being advocated to increase efficiency by reducing shunting at Botany Yard, and a rail windows protocol and agreed contingency alerts for rail delays have also been developed.
ARTC is currently investing in the recently acquired Botany Yard to improve access and egress with rail and the ports. This work will be supported by improvements in the Metropolitan Freight Network and the construction of the Southern Sydney Freight Line, along with Sydney Ports development of the 60 hectare Intermodal Logistics Centre at Enfield and ARTC’s Enfield staging roads.
Infrastructure upgrades valued at $1billion by Sydney Ports Corporation have also been given NSW Government approval, including the construction of a new third container terminal at Port Botany which is well underway.
Consultation between the Sydney Ports Road Taskforce and key stakeholders and road-based industry trials has resulted in a proposed Performance Management System to establish a clear commercial relationship between road carriers and stevedores to enhance the communications and transparency of processes and data between industry players.
If approved, the management system will include penalties if parties fail to meet the proposed service standards. Rail is also looking to establish a similar performance management system.
In addressing performance at Port Botany, the previous NSW ports minister Joe Tripodi said he would not rule out the possibility of enforced regulation if voluntary implementation of reform did not achieve the best results for the industry.
The PBLIS is set to usher in significant reform for the industry as it targets efficiency and consistency at the port’s landside interface by transparently reducing congestion and transforming the port into a 24/7 supply chain.
Sydney Ports executive general manager industry relations and logistics Lachlan Benson said that Sydney Ports Corporation continues to review industry feedback and analyse the way forward with the overall PBLIS project, with demonstrable focus on performance improvement at the Port Botany rail interface.

For more information visit the Landside Improvement section at: www.sydneyports.com.au