Car-carrier delays averted
Shipping line bosses are breathing a welcome sigh of relief after their pure car carriers (PCCs) avoided having to wait days out at sea because of a congested schedule at Lyttelton port.
A number of PCCs faced being unable to dock at the South Island port for 10 days last month after three coal vessels were scheduled to arrive back-to-back and dominate the main berth used for discharging vehicles.
The coal ships were due to occupy Lyttelton’s Cashin Quay 1 from May 20-26, during which period four PCCs were also set to arrive at the same berth.
However, the risk of those vessels carrying vehicles having to wait more than a week was averted after two of them changed their schedules – the Leo Spirit avoiding the port altogether and Wisteria Ace’s arrival being pushed back until June 2 – and the remaining two PCCs being squeezed into spots at other berths.
The Don Juan, operated by Armacup, discharged its vehicles at Cashin Quay 3 on May 20, and Toyofuji’s Trans Future 7 was able to unload between container vessel operations at Cashin Quay 2 over May 28-29.
Blain Paterson, general manager of Toyofuji, says the company was happy with the outcome after previously describing the back-to-back scheduling of the coal vessels as “frustrating”.
Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) says coal vessels have "contractual right" to use Cashin Quay 1 because they require the coal-loading facilities there and so take priority over other ships.
Hans Corporaal, Armacup’s chief operating officer, adds any delays for PCCs to unload vehicles increases costs substantially for shipping lines.
“We are lucky that passenger vessels are not in the mix as of yet because they get priority also,” he notes.
LPC describes any delays experienced by PCCs at its site as “relatively minor” compared with issues at other ports worldwide.
Paul Monk, general manager of bulk cargo and marine services, adds LPC recognises the impacts delays can have but "the nature of the shipping industry means that vessels come in peaks and troughs”.
