UPDATE - Return of import containers to Australian port terminals

Further to the Newsflash 22 January on this issue: 

Paul Damkjaer and myself have since met with senior executives from a number of the shipping lines involved with this practice, to formally and directly express the CBFCA’s concerns.

Further meetings are planned for next week on this issue, which is a significant one which the CBFCA intends to continue to lead on.

A further update for members can be expected as negotiations progress.

As per the previous Newsflash, the following issues have been raised during those meetings:
  • Additional cost imposed to members who in turn would likely need to consider passing this onto their importer clients
  • Lack of industry consultation
  • The potential removal of options to dehire empty containers in the major industrial hubs closest to members' and their facilities, within each capital city
  • The congestion that would be added to existing container transport road movements within each capital city port
  • The impractical procedure involving the lodgement of a PRA and a VBS booking slot for each inwards empty container movement
  • A potential elimination of current efficient empty container dehire practices such as "live unloads" at importer premises that involved direct empty container dehires - a service that enables direct cost savings to the import industry in terms of eliminating the need for return pick-up and dehire of empty containers
  • The potential for our members and their importer clients to have inwards empty container movements trapped within the controls of each stevedore VBS process in terms of timing and availability of time slots
  • Increased risks to members and their importer clients on incurring container dehire detention due to the potential loss of available free days from container unpack through to empty container dehire due to this proposed process
  • The flow on effect of unnecessary additional administration and co-ordination time/cost that our members would incur under such a practice

  ​

Scott Carson
Commercial Manager