MPC strengthens Asian ties - Melbourne Port Corporation - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Business Asia, May, 2001

THE MELBOURNE PORT Corporation (MPC) has recently strengthened its ties with some of its key Asian customers.

Chris Whitaker, managing director of MPC, and Ashley Dinning, general manager, shipping and logistics, went to Japan recently to visit customers, while a 19-member delegation from South Korea visited the port in April.

While the executive duo's trip to Japan was primarily to discuss Melbourne's car carrying business, Dinning said it was important to have face to face meetings at least every 12 months.

"We visited four shipping lines that have their head office in Japan -- "K" Line, NYK Line, Mitsui OSK Line and Toyofuji, as well as car manufacturers, Mitsubishi and Toyota. Together these companies move around 180,000 vehicles a year through Melbourne," he said.

"Up until a few years ago, many shipping lines would come down from Japan, discharge Victorian cargo here in Melbourne, then sail around to Adelaide and discharge predominantly Mitsubishi car parts. Now instead of calling at Adelaide, they rail goods across from Melbourne. This created about 23,000 TEU in new business for the port, but more importantly, it allowed the Australian Northbound Supply Conference (ANSCON) to drop a ship out of their sailing schedule and still maintain a weekly service.

"This is a win-win situation for everyone: the car manufacturers are happy, the shipping lines are happy and we're happy. Mitsubishi, in particular, believe we are one of the most proactive port authority in the country."

MPC's Japanese customers are also impressed with some of the infrastructure changes in the port.

"The infrastructure team facilitated the widening and partial re-asphalting of the road linking East and West Webb Dock," Dinning said. "Imported Toyotas discharged at West Webb Dock, bound for a pre-delivery inspection centre at East Webb Dock, can now be driven around by stevedores without the need for trade plates. In the past, they would have had to wait for transporters. The same in reverse applies to export vehicles."

Meanwhile, the delegation from South Korea which visited last month was headed by a former Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Chang Yeul Lim, now Governor of Kyonggi Province. Other members included the Assistant Governor, Korean Ambassador, foreign investment specialists, plus two members of the Korean Trade Commission office (KOTRA), Melbourne.

South Korea currently has two main ports: Pusan, which handles the majority of containerised trade, and Inchon, which handles predominantly general and bulk trades. The trip was a fact-finding mission in preparation for the development of a new port in the Kyonggi Province to handle both container trade and general/bulk cargoes. This new port, to be called Pyong Taek (an international seaport), is expected to be the third largest in South Korea and will ultimately have 60 berths.