The Port of Melbourne has reported increased container volumes for the month of December 2021.
Container throughput at the Australian port totaled 275,459 TEU, a 4 per cent increase on the previous year.
Total container imports increased 3.4 per cent on December 2020. Containerised imports of paperboards, clothing and raw plastics were all up on December 2020 volumes.
Total container exports increased 4.5 per cent on December 2020. Containerised exports of milk (dried), milk (processed), hay, chaff and fodder, scrap metal and wine were all up on December 2020 volumes.
In its trade outlook, Melbourne said container trade for early January 2022 is tracking below the comparative month in 2021 with congestion continuing for Melbourne.
“Australian ports continue to see shipping lines revising schedules and advising of port omissions as they attempt to recover time,” the port wrote in its announcement.
“Locally, with the outbreak of the Omicron variant impacting labour allocations throughout the terminals and across the wider supply chain, due to required isolation periods, delays and congestion continue to place strain on the supply chain.”
The PRTP involves the development and construction of a new rail terminal linked to the Swanson Dock East International Container Terminal. This rail terminal will include two new sidings that can handle 600-metre-long trains.
