CBFCA calls for independent VBS management at Port Botany

<p>The interface of road and rail transport with stevedore operations at Port Botany should be assessed against pricing and efficiency benchmarks, the Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia (CBFCA) has told an inquiry into the operation of Port Botany.</p> <p>A review of policy and operational work practices, involving all port stakeholders, was required to ensure barrier clearance processes and transport logistics could be managed with a high level of predictability and visibility, before vessel arrival and cargo availability, it said.</p> <p>&#8220The CBFCA concerns in relation to the vehicle booking system (VBS) applications, are not so much in relation to the technical architecture but in the underlying pricing policies and associated business rules,&#8221 the CBFCA submission to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales (IPART) said.</p> <p>&#8220Accordingly, the CBFCA sees that an independent management of a VBS would provide transparency in slot allocation and availability of slots and costs.&#8221</p> <p>Other issues the CBFCA labelled as key include the development of intermodal hubs &#8211 including Enfield &#8211 with appropriate rail infrastructure, and more use of automated operations to improve container tracking.</p> <p>&#8220An opportunity exists to increase the efficiency of road transport by minimising the duplication of truck movements,&#8221 read the report. </p> <p>&#8220The CBFCA sees merit in introducing an online container management facility that promotes the utilisation of the unladen truck journey for the movement of empty containers for re-export. </p> <p>&#8220This would avoid duplication of truck movements into terminals and thus reduce the impact of bulk runs on the availability of time slots and other interface services.&#8221</p> <br />