AN EMPTY container park with a 6000 TEU capacity is now under construction at Port Botany.

The new facility is expected to reduce both truck congestion and handling times due to its proximity to stevedores.

Independent transport and logistics provider Medlog will operate the facility in the port’s industrial precinct.

NSW Ports CEO Marika Calfas said the extra empty container park would enhance the capacity and productivity of New South Wales’ supply chains.

“Medlog’s facility will reduce the cost of handling containers, as trucks will be able to drop off empty containers and collect new arrivals without having to leave the port precinct – a time saver that will reduce congestion and truck queues,” Ms Calfas said.

“This new development will ensure NSW Ports and our partners can continue to meet the state’s growing trade needs while delivering an efficient and sustainable service to businesses and consumers.”

The empty container park will be designed to apply new technology to operations such as paperless processing to make truck movements safer and more productive.

The facility will be designed to feature sustainable innovations such as rainwater harvesting and solar PV panels for power supply.

Medlog chief operating officer Ned Zver said the business was delighted to expand its services in Australia to provide further empty container storage capacity.

“Our landside logistics have been built on a global best practice approach, while pursuing continuous improvements to deliver efficiencies and benefits to the entire supply chain,” he said.

“The Port Botany ECP will harness innovation and leading [optical character recognition] technology that will make truck movements safer, more efficient and more productive.

“Essentially, this technology means that when a truck enters the ECP it shall pass through a large gantry scanner that will detect the type of cargo it’s carrying, after which a nearby computer will direct the driver to a designated bay – resulting in quicker, safer container offloads.”

The new empty container park is scheduled to open in 2023.