CATTLE have left Geraldton Port in a series of historic back-to-back shipments to South East Asia.
Landmark Geraldton livestock agent Richard Keach said two vessels left the port toward the end of November with 2700 Brahman cross feeder cattle to Indonesia, and 2500 Brahman cross cattle to Vietnam respectively.
He said Landmark had supplied the bulk of the cattle for the exporters and they were working on another shipment of 3600 cattle to go to South East Asia in the next week.
Mr Keach said the stock they had sourced had been good quality, but this time of year the numbers were getting harder to source.
For the first time in 150 years the Mid West Port Authority (MWPA) has enabled livestock transport vessels to access berth three and load a capacity amount of cattle for export.
Live cattle exporter Austrex was the first to accomplish the task.
MWPA chief executive Peter Klein said “the first consignment (in November) was very successful”.
He said in the past livestock vessels were only able to access berth six – which gave the port limited availability and capacity for the industry.
After the purchase of Shore Tension Units, which the port trialled earlier in the year, and which are designed to assist vessels to have a safe and steady mooring, the port now has five berths available to it for the live export trade to access safely and with minimal wait times.
“The port sees a tremendous opportunity to provide greater services to the livestock industry, particularly the cattle export industry,” Mr Klein said.
“In consultation with exporters we identified some limitations in terms of past services we have provided and we have been working to address those issues.
“We want to be seen as a port that is capable of not only servicing but one that wants to service the industry and deliver the best.
“Our door is wide open to the live cattle trade.”
Mr Klein said they had identified two challenges that had impacted on the ports ability to meet the needs of the industry.
“We believe they are now solved.”
Mr Klein said the first issue they had to solve was port congestion.
“Mid West Ports has been successful in attracting new trade in the past 10 years - mainly minerals in particular,” he said.
“While that has been great for the port’s operation and sustainability in the past it has meant utilisation of berths is higher.
“And we are aware that the export industry wants rapid access and minimal delays.
“To allow that we have set up a five berth capacity for accommodating this trade.
“Now we can direct to one of multiple berths solving the congestion issue.”
The second challenge for the port was harbour surges.
In 2014 it was reported that the Geraldton Port had been suffering from surges at least once a week during the winter months - which were impacting on vessels mooring and costing about $4 million to the local industry per year, as well as having to close the port for 15pc of the time.
Mr Klein said in 2006, 248 mooring lines were broken as a result of the surges.
In 2014 it had been reduced to 76 at a cost of $6000 each.
“Berths became unavailable and cruise ships brought along side would move around too much,” he said.
“Ten per cent of our time would be lost.
“In February this year we purchased four Shore Tension Units.
“These apply constant tension on a mooring line and reduce movement of the vessel while alongside.
“Their use so far is allowing us to provide services to cattle in conditions that were previously unsuitable.”
Mr Klein said they were still testing the units but the “delays in loading are largely a thing of the past”.
“So we have solved the issue and the Mid West Port is now a reliable export port for the cattle industry.
“We are excited about increasing our throughput in the longer term and supply the feeder market to China or South East Asia.”
Mr Klein said the port had previously looked at investing in a ramp similar to what the Kimberley Port Authority purchased for Port Hedland which cost $300,000 – but were informed by industry that “our ramp is fit for purpose” and a new one was not needed.
