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$348m to redevelop terminal at Port Botany announced Asciano

Asciano has announced plans to invest $348 million to redevelop and expand its container terminal at Port Botany for transforming the terminal into a world class and internationally competitive facility by 2014.

This comes across as welcome news to every Australian business which relies on improved port efficiency and productivity to keep their costs down.

Australian Logistics Council (ALC) Managing Director, Michael Kilgariff says, “the keys to unlocking greater productivity on our waterfront come in the form of capital investment and progressive labour reform.”

There will be an increase in capacity from 1.15 million to 1.6 million TEU per annum to meet current trade growth forecasts.

Kilgariff went on to say that ALC commends Asciano for its commitment to improve supply chain efficiency and taking positive steps to prepare for future trade growth at the port.

McKinsley Global Institute’s recent report stated that introducing new operating models within individual companies, such as automating supply chains, could boost productivity

The Maritime Union of Australia is threatening Asciano with an international campaign to disrupt the company’s Port Botany operations.

Asciano, like all Australian companies, must be allowed to manage its affairs in a way that it deems appropriate to generate greater efficiencies and improved safety outcomes.

The introduction of automation at Asciano’s Brisbane terminal has improved productivity and led to a 90 percent reduction in safety incidents.

Actively encouraging Asciano’s international customers to avoid its facilities is another example of a union trying to exert greater control over the way a business runs its operations.

“This sends out a very worrying message to any business trying to improve productivity and harm our international reputation as a place to do business,” Kilgariff said.

None of this is in Asciano’s, their employees or Australia’s long term economic interests.

ALC said in a statement that it is looking forward to Asciano being able to roll out its redevelopment fully in due course.

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