CARRIERS using ICTSI’s Motukea International Terminal in Port Moresby are beginning to recover vessel schedules after breakdowns suffered by all three of the facility’s mobiles harbour cranes.
DCN understands vessels operated by ANL-CMA CGM, Swire Shipping, Maersk and more were delayed by up to 10 days until repairs could be completed.
In a notice to shippers ANL advised “that due to the severe delays in Port Moresby that have occurred due to congestion caused by equipment failures at the terminal there, [WesPac service vessel] Sofrana Surville berthed 19 March after arriving on schedule nine days earlier.
“As such, in order to maintain the forward schedule, the Sofrana Surville V604 must omit both Vanuatu ports. Cargo destined for these ports will discharge in Lae, and the Baldur V605 will collect this cargo three days later to deliver to Vanuatu.
“Sofrana Surville, following her Port Moresby and Lae calls, will proceed to Honiara as usual, and then return directly to New Zealand to commence her next voyage. This will allow her to be back on schedule quickly, and maintain the Tuesday arrival in Brisbane on her next voyage.
“We are continuing discussions with the terminal operators in Papua New Guinea, who have assured us that their machinery is now repaired, and the situation has been resolved, with future vessels to be worked with little or no delay.”
Separately, ANL advised the APR vessel ANL Dhambi was severely delayed, also by 9+ days, in Motukea because of terminal operational issues resulting in a prior vessel unable to vacate the berth.
MIT is the only facility in Port Moresby that can handle international containers. Ro/ro and break bulk vessels are also accommodated in MIT. It is also the only terminal in Port Moresby that offers mobile cranes (non-ship geared) and caters to vessels with drafts under 12.5m. DCN understands at least one vessel was diverted to the Coastal Berth.
Neither PNG Ports Corporation nor MIT publish vessel movement information.
Separately, on Monday [23 March] ICTSI South Pacific, which encompasses MIT and Lae’s South Pacific International Container Terminal, launched the ICTSI Radar App which provides real-time access to essential terminal data.
Through the app, stakeholders can track vessels, containers and trucks in real time, enabling better planning of cargo movements through Lae and Port Moresby. These capabilities help businesses optimise supply chains, reduce delays and lower logistics costs, ICTSI says.