Fremantle Port Authority posts year of record results

8/8/95

Fremantle Port Authority has posted a year of record results, an outcome which would have been even better were it not for the disruptive tactics of the Maritime Union of Australia, Transport Minister Eric Charlton said today.

The Minister said pointless industrial action by the MUA over Stateships and the union's ongoing campaign affecting Single Voyage Permit vessels, affected all Western Australians.

"Despite union interference, the consistent growth in container business through FPA in 1994-95, showed 189,300 containers were handled - which was an increase of 12 per cent on 1993-94," he said.

The entire port trade was a record 20.3 million mass tonnes, up from 20.1 million mass tonnes during the previous financial year.

Total import trade of 8.5 million tonnes was a record, exceeding last year's high of 8.2 million tonnes, while total exports also rose to a total 11.83 million tonnes.

Mr Charlton said the port had been another strong year of growth, with container throughput for the third consecutive year up by more than 10 per cent.

"If the present trend continues, the container trade at Fremantle is expected to double every five-and-a-half years," he said.

New motor vehicle imports increased by 6,049 units to 39,779 vehicles.

Bulk commodities contributed 17.5 million mass tonnes, or around 86 per cent of total port trade. The principal bulk cargo through Fremantle was petroluem which rose from 7.8 million tonnes during 1993-94, to 8.1 million tonnes last year.

Mr Charlton said the consolidation of container terminals at North Quay would efficiently accommodate the port's increasing container traffic at the Inner Harbour for the next 10 to 15 years.

"Construction work was underway at Berth Number 3, which was being realigned to add length and provide the two major stevedoring companies with areas suitable for development and growth," he said.

"Conaust would be able to consolidate and operate from one site and increase the number of cranes which could be used on individual ships."

Sand and limestone excavated and dredged from Berth Number 3 will be used as infill in the land reclamation area behind the extended sea wall at Rous Head.

The increased capacity to store stacked containers is crucial to the capability of North Quay to handle container trade into the next century.

Container trade with East and South-East Asia in particular is showing major growth with a 30 per cent boost since 1991-92.

Major trading centres in the region last year included Singapore (30,474 TEUs), Japan (24,039 TEUs) and Hong Kong (7,913 TEUs).  (TEUs - the number of containers in 20-foot equivalent lengths.)

Mr Charlton said of the total container and bulk cargo trade through Fremantle, 39 per cent was directed to East and South-Asia, with major exports comprising grain, alumina, silica sands, animal feeds, refined petroleum and fresh fruits and vegetables.

This financial year exports to Korea were up by 89 per cent, with wheat sales there gaining by a healthy 263 per cent.

Silica sand sales to Japan rose by 80 per cent to 309,120 mass tonnes, while liquid petroleum gas shipments overseas increased around 41 per cent.

Alumina exports through Singapore had increased to 637,570 mass tonnes, which was a 16 per cent rise over last financial year.

Scrap metal exports to Indonesia were up 64 per cent to 62,486 mass tonnes.

Mr Charlton said Western Australia's exports continued to be greater than any other State, around 25.5 per cent of the national total by volume.

"The excellent figures were the result of dedicated co-operation between the FPA, its staff, customers, private sector providers and all port users," he said.

"It remains to be seen whether the Maritime Union adopts a responsible attitude for the good of the greater community and assigns its short-sighted industrial agitation to the trash bin of the past, where it belongs."

Media contact:  Ian Hasleby 321 7333