ANL Gippsland to set DP World record at Port Botany

ANL GIPPSLAND docked at a very sunny Port Botany on Friday (14 August), on track to set a new container exchange record at the DP World terminal. The vessel is expected to exchange 11,053 TEU, making it the largest container exchange ever handled at the terminal.

This milestone follows a series of recent records. The previous Port Botany record was set only a few months ago, in May this year, when OOCL Brazil delivered an exchange of 10,746 TEU, surpassing the 9,487 TEU record that had stood at the terminal since 2020.

To put the scale into perspective, a typical call on this service at DP World’s Port Botany terminal involves about 6,200 TEU. ANL Gippsland’s expected exchange is almost 80% higher, comprising about 3,465 containers / 5,815 TEU discharged and 3,064 containers / 5,238 TEU loaded.

The increasing numbers at Port Botany reflect a broader national trend, with larger vessels and larger exchanges being seen across Australian trades as shipping lines pursue efficiency and economies of scale. 

As vessel sizes and container exchanges continue to rise, Australian ports will need to keep adapting to ensure infrastructure, terminal operations and landside networks can manage the increased volume. A DP World spokesperson told DCN that larger vessels place pressure across the entire port system, “from channel and berth capacity through to crane capability, yard capacity and road and rail connectivity where available”.

Image: Lindsay Reed

The spokesperson said vessel presentation was also critical to maximising crane allocation and terminal productivity, while infrastructure capability needed to be regularly reviewed to ensure assets remained fit for purpose for larger ships, "that includes berth length, crane height and outreach, and yard-handling equipment capacity.

While the record will be measured at the quay, its significance extends well beyond the ship-to-shore operation. An exchange of this scale tests the whole receiving and delivery chain, from crane and yard planning through to truck movements, rail interfaces where available, and the ability of the broader landside network to absorb a concentrated cargo surge safely and efficiently.