Container milestone

Press, 27 December 1985, Page 11

Container milestone

A milestone in logistics was passed at Lyttelton’s container terminal recently when three container ships were handled in one 15-hour day. On Tuesday, December 17, the Australian Trader, the Columbia Star and the New Zealand Trader were all moved into Cashin Quay, loaded and unloaded and moved out again between 7 a.m. and 9.30 p.m. A total of 173 moves were involved with the three ships. While this was not a great number, with the time needed between change-overs it was “pretty good” going, said the container terminal manager, Mr Bill Siddall.

It was particularly good considering Lyttelton only had one container crane, he said.

The three ship exchanges done on Tuesday followed on from two other ship exchanges and brought the total movements for four days to more than 1000.

The Act 7, at Cashin Quay from Saturday to Monday, had 730 moves and was followed by the Fua Kavenga on Monday with 112 moves.

"We don’t often have the opportunity of doing 1000 moves in such a short space of time,” said Mr Siddall.

“The Act 7 was the first decent ‘go’ we have had for some time, with an average ship movement for the year of about 250.”

The general trend for the terminal was for ship exchanges to be getting smaller, he said.

A lot of the terminal’s trade was now with smaller ships

doing the Pacific Island and Tasman runs, said Mr Siddall. ARRIVALS Nil DEPARTURES New Zealand Mariner (10.25 a.m.), 10,991, Dunedin (N.Z.S.A.LL.). EXPECTED ARRIVALS Union Dunedin, Melbourne, tomorrow. H.M.N2S. Hawea, sea, tomorrow. Kuaka, sea, December 30. Esperence Bay, N. Plym, January 2. Tarihiko, N. Plym, January 3. Auckland Express, Melbourne, January 4. Forum New Zealand, sea, January 4. PROJECTED DEPARTURES Aotea, Dndn, today (6 p.m.). Suah, Middle East, today (2 H. M.?i .Z.S. Hawea, sea, December 29. Kuaka, sea, December 30. Tarihiko, Dndn, January 3. Esperence Bay, Asia, January 3. Auckland Express, Wgtn, January 4. VESSELS IN PORT Coastal Trader, No. 2 West. Suah, No. 3 West. Pirit, No. 4 East. Spirit of Competition, No. 7 East Holmdale, No. 7 West. ARRIVALS Nil. DEPARTURES Nil.

EXPECTED ARRIVALS Sun Maiko, Bluff, today. PROJECTED DEPARTURES Sun Maiko, Nap, tomorrow. VESSELS IN PORT Falcon, No. 3 South. Scheduled international aircraft movements through Christchurch Airport today include: ARRIVALS Qantas QF55., (Boeing 767), 2.40 p.m., Brisbane. Qantas QF3S (Boeing 767), 3.20 pun., Melbourne. Air New, Zealand TES2 (Boeing 767), 4.20 p.m., Melbourne. Qantas QF4S (Boeing 747), 5.50 p.m., Sydney. DEPARTURES Air New Zealand TESI (Boeing 767), 8 a.m., Melbourne. Qantas QFS6 (Boeing 767), 4 p.m., Brisbane. Qantas QF36 (Boeing 767), 4.45 p.m., Melbourne. Qantas QF46 (Boeing 747), 7.30 p.m., Sydney. Scheduled passenger train movements through Christchurch Railway Station today include: ARRIVALS Greymouth train, 1.26 p.m. and 11.32 p.m. Picton train, 8.05 p.m. Southerner, 6.35 p.m. DEPARTURES Greymouth train, 9.15 a.m. and 6.05 p.m. Picton train, 7.30 a.m. Southerner, 8.40 a.m.