By Pilbara Ports Authority and, below, Swire Shipping
Direct shipping into Pilbara ports is gaining momentum, with the arrival of the fourth shipping service into Port Hedland since November.
The Swire Shipping managed vessel MV Souni is discharging 30 containers of materials and equipment for mining and construction projects.
Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) Landside Operations Manager Jon Giles said the direct shipping services are connecting the Pilbara with ports across Asia, eliminating the need for cargo to pass through other port facilities.
“Pilbara businesses have traditionally relied on goods being trucked from the Port of Fremantle or overland from the eastern states, which attracted a significant cost in terms of logistics and time,” Mr Giles said.
“Direct shipping translates into lower costs for Pilbara businesses and consumers, and also benefits the State and the nation by generating more inbound and outbound freight opportunities. It also contributes to a reduction in road traffic, road maintenance costs, emissions and noise pollution.”
In order to attract and facilitate direct shipping, PPA has invested in biosecurity infrastructure, including inspection, treatment and wash bay facilities. The availability of improved biosecurity facilities is expected to encourage further growth in direct shipping to Pilbara ports.
The new Swire Shipping service will operate in accordance with two separate schedules: the first will serve Singapore, Darwin and Port Hedland on a dedicated vessel, whilst the second will deliver containers into Dampier ex-Singapore on a separate slot charter arrangement. Both will operate on a 20-day frequency.
Swire Shipping’s Commercial Manager of Mining and Resources Stephen Westfield said the new direct service aims to improve shipping in North Western Australia from a cost, sustainability, safety and community involvement perspective.
“These new direct connections enable customers to better plan their inventory, manage their supply chains, and reach their carbon-neutral goals up to 2040,” Mr Westfield said.
“It is estimated that each container shipped direct into the Pilbara versus via Fremantle will save roughly two tonnes of carbon. We look forward to working with our mining and resource customers to achieve carbon reduction goals.”
Direct shipping at Pilbara ports:
- The first direct shipping vessel to arrive at the Port of Port Hedland was the MV Darwin Trader, which arrived in November 2020, carrying containers, pipe and loose cargo.
- Since the MV Darwin Trader’s first direct shipping cargo, there have been a further nine ANL shipments into Port Hedland and Maersk’s first shipment of Bridgestone tyres arrived into the port in January 2021.
- The first direct shipping to the Port of Dampier was a Bengal Tiger Lines vessel, MCP Graz, in February. A Sea Swift service also imports and exports general cargo.
Back in June 2021, Swire Shipping released the following statement about its service to the Pilbara
Swire Shipping will operate a new North West Australia direct service (NWD) from June 2021, offering customers a direct connection between Singapore and North West Australia. The new service is made up of two loops: the first loop will serve Singapore, Darwin, Port Hedland and operate with a transit time of 12 days from Singapore to Port Hedland; the second loop will operate from Singapore to Dampier, with a transit time of nine days.
The direct connections will enable Swire Shipping’s customers in the region to better plan their inventory and manage their supply chains more efficiently. Customers who previously relied on inland transport through the Fremantle gateway now have an additional option to transport cargo to/from North West Australia.
Said Mr Randy Selvaratnam, Swire Shipping’s General Manager for the Pacific, “We are pleased to offer customers in the region a direct connection between Singapore and North West Australia through our new NWD service. Over the past few years, we have made significant investments to improve our product offerings and provide more direct connections so that we can save our customers’ time.”
The new service between Singapore and Port Hedland also aims to reduce the overall carbon footprint from cargo delivery on current modes of transport. To transport cargo from Singapore to Port Hedland, customers previously needed to ship their cargo from Singapore to Fremantle before using inland transportation to Port Hedland. With this new service, customers can now ship their cargo directly from Singapore to Port Hedland, which will reduce carbon emissions by up to 35,000 metric tons a year1, the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions produced from 7,600 passenger vehicles in a year2.
Mr Selvaratnam added, “Swire Shipping is committed to having a positive impact on the communities and the environment where we operate. In addition to deploying modern and eco-friendly vessels, we also seek innovative ways to minimise our carbon footprint as part of our decarbonisation journey. This is one of the many steps we are taking to reduce overall carbon emissions and achieve our long-term goal of decarbonisation.”
Swire Shipping will deploy a geared 7,602DWT multi-purpose vessel, MV Souni, on Loop 1 of the new service (Singapore – Darwin – Port Hedland – Singapore). On Loop 2 (Singapore – Dampier – Singapore), Swire Shipping will have slot access to MV Karratha Bay, a 7,520DWT vessel operated by SeaSwift. Both vessels are capable of carrying containerised, out-of-gauge and breakbulk cargo.
Swire Shipping has worked closely with customers across various industries and is well-established in serving Australia’s regional ports. Across its network, Swire Shipping operates eight services connecting Australia to the rest of the world. With a commitment to enrich lives by connecting customers and communities in the Pacific, Swire Shipping strives to increase its network connectivity and improve its overall product offerings by offering direct services to the region.
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