STEVEDORE SLAMMED FOR “TOTALLY UNSATISFACTORY” PERFORMANCE
John Lines, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ANL has told customers that Patrick Stevedore’s performance recently has been “totally unsatisfactory”. Mr Lines has apologised to his company’s clients for schedule disruptions to its Tranztas service and said the terminal delays in Australia have persisted over the Easter period and beyond. “This performance from our terminal provider was totally unsatisfactory so we have taken the decision to terminate the contract and move the Tranztas service to Hutchison in Sydney and to DP World Australia in Melbourne. It is expected that these new arrangements will help facilitate a quick return to the fixed-day weekly schedule we had committed to deliver in the Tasman.” Mr Lines thanked customers for their “patience and support through this trying period”, adding that they will see a marked improvement in the reliability of the service. Maritime Union of Australia Sydney Branch Secretary, Paul McAleer, said Patrick’s move to automation has created “a terrible outcome for port users. I think the blame can be laid squarely at the feet of Patrick for not negotiating automation. They tried to rush it through and I think the industry is suffering because of those decisions. It will take some time for them to re-engage with workforce and get back the confidence of their customers.”