Australian stevedore’s price hike quashed
The New South Wales government has stopped a stevedoring company raising its charges by 67% after fears that this would bring the Port Botany area to a standstill.
NSW Ports Minister Eric Roozendaal responded to Patrick’s hike by saying that he would step in to regulate the rail freight price.
Rail companies voiced their concern that the new charges by Patrick on transporting cargo through Port Botany in Sydney would have forced thousands of trucks onto the road since goods would be taken off the rail network.
David Knight of Qube Logistics said that it could be a spoiling tactic by Patrick. “There is no doubt Patrick is seeking to destroy rail as a viable freight alternative by imposing these new charges days after they ceased their own rail operations to Port Botany,” said Mr Knight.
This angle was taken up by Jill Lewis of New South Wales’ trucking industry body, ATA NSW. “By trying to make rail less efficient, Patrick’s decision could have had a massive impact on trucking’s abilities to meet demand, and could have caused chaos on roads around the port,” said Ms Lewis.
However, Patrick claimed repeated requests for meetings to discuss ways to increase port-rail interface efficiency during the past six months had been denied, and that the government didn’t face up to needed investment.
