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No typhoon blow to terminals this year, say stevedores

<p>Neither of Australia’s two major box terminal operators is expecting serious disruption of operations after the two super typhoons which have crossed the China Sea shipping lanes in the last few weeks. </p> <p>The bunching of ship arrivals after last year’s Asian typhoon season was blamed for causing berth and yard congestion at terminals in Sydney and Melbourne, persisting in some cases well into 2003. </p> <p>Typhoon Maemi has delayed southbound sailings on the ANL&#47Evergreen&#47Hanajin NAX consortium after the Dong Bu Pusan terminal was wrecked. </p> <p>However, this is the only northeast Asian service handled by P&#38O Ports here, minimising the impact. </p> <p>Patrick said that the <em>MSC Alabama</em> , operated by the Maersk Sealand&#47MSC joint service, is likely to discharge all its cargo in Sydney and distribute by rail in order to get the ship back onto schedule. </p> <p>Tim Blood, managing director of P&#38O Ports, said that typhoons last year had come on top of a tremendous peak in cargo which has not been so pronounced this year. </p> <p>P&#38O Ports had a very strong first half of this year, but not the surge in the second half.</p> <p>"P&#38O Ports is also in much better shape than before," he said. </p> <p>"Things are better now at Port Botany than they have ever been. </p> <p>"We are not having the same problems &#8211 despite the fact that we are still getting off-window arrivals." </p> <p>Mr Blood suggested that this is because schedules are set with little room for things to go wrong. </p> <p>"The catch-up time is not there," he said. "Ports get omitted and it is not pleasing for anyone."</p> <br />