TradeCoast booms in Sunshine State - Freight Forwarding - Queensland

Business Asia, Oct, 2002

Latest trade figures from Queensland's Australia TradeCoast(ATC) paint an increasingly positive picture of the region--something ATC's chairman Ross Dunning says confirms a growing realisation by importers and exporters that Brisbane is the place to be.

ATC is a joint initiative between the Queensland Government's Department of State Development, Brisbane's Office of Economic Development, the Port of Brisbane Corporation and the Brisbane Airport Corporation, working together with the aim of turning Queensland into Australia's leading trade hub.

In its first three years, 43 companies have been attracted to Brisbane, including giant discount retailer The Warehouse Group, which has signed Brisbane's biggest industrial lease at the Port of Brisbane.

"Australia TradeCoast has huge strategic advantages, including the region's fully integrated air, sea, rail and road freight interchange facilities for the efficient movement of cargo," says Dunning.

Trade increase

Figures from the airport/seaport precinct show ATC is giving Sydney a run for its money.

The Brisbane Airport Corporation reported an increase of 12.4 per cent on imports and 9.3 per cent on exports.

Exports through Brisbane Airport increased more than 4500 tonnes to 48,522, with niche market perishable products leading the way.

Accounting for nine per cent of throughput was 4127 tonnes of pork meat destined for Singapore, while the live tropical fish trade to Hong Kong represented three per cent of trade at 1371 tonnes.

Imports were up to 24,830 tonnes from 21,755 the previous year, representing 10 per cent of all imports from major eastern seaboard airports.

On a combined tonnage basis for exports and imports, Brisbane moved to 13 per cent of all airport trade up from 12 per cent last year.

Retail spending

Dunning said the 2001/02 performance was impressive considering the global instability and on-going challenges faced by the rural sector.

He was also pleased with the performance of the Port of Brisbane Corporation, particularly container trade, which increased in imports and exports by seven per cent and 5.6 per cent respectively.

"Overall container trade had a healthy increase of 28,518 TEUs to 481,847 TEUs," Dunning says.

Driving this area of growth was increased retail spending and the boom in the housing sector--imported building products were up 19 per cent, timber was up 28 per cent, household items 17 per cent, iron and steel 27 per cent, and rubber up 20 per cent. Total trade tonnage increased 37,642 tonnes on last year to 23.2 million tonnes despite a massive fall in crude oil imports, which dropped 600,000 tonnes.

This reduction resulted in an overall decrease in imports, although there were gains in other areas.

Cement continued its growth pattern, rising 8.65 per cent to 1.2 million tonnes, while iron and steel imports increased by 23.7 per cent due to growing demand for bars and rods.

Motor vehicle imports were down one per cent, however June recorded the largest monthly total for two years.

Exports were up 176,412 tonnes to 11 million tonnes--boosted by a 30 per cent increase in coal trade exports.

The downturn in the rural sector was reflected in export figures, with cotton falling 13 per cent as growers dealt with poor prices and dry conditions.

Meat exports were down only slightly despite extended slowdowns for a number of abattoirs over Christmas.

Cereal bucked the trend increasing their export effort by more than 3300 tonnes.