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NSW Ports welcomes the largest container vessel to ever visit Port Botany

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NSW Ports welcomes the largest container vessel  to ever visit Port Botany

NSW Ports welcomes the largest container vessel  to ever visit Port Botany

NSW Ports is pleased to welcome the largest capacity container ship to ever call at Port Botany, with the arrival of the record-breaking vessel, the Ural today.

Capable of carrying 10,662 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (or TEUs - the standard measurement of a container), the spectacular Ural is almost double the size of the typical 5,500 TEU container ship currently visiting the port. At 299 metres long, 48.2 metres wide, and 66.5 metres high from keel to mast, the vessel is the size of three consecutive football fields and as high as a 15-storey building.

The Ural is named after the Ural mountain range that runs from north to south through western Russia and is one of six currently deployed on the South-East Asia - Australia trade route called the ‘AAX1’. The vessel commenced its 42-day round-trip in Malaysia, calling at Singapore, before making its way around Australia’s south-west and southern coast to call at Port Botany. It will be serviced at Patrick Terminals - Sydney AutoStrad, before departing on Tuesday 30 June 2020.

NSW Ports CEO, Marika Calfas says, “As Australia’s premium container port, Port Botany handles more than 99% of NSW’s container volume (with 2.6 million TEU per annum) and is inextricably linked to our lives and our lifestyles.

“We rely on Port Botany to facilitate the daily trade of everyday goods and critical supplies into our nation, while connecting our exporters with the global marketplace. In fact, nearly half (42%) of all goods in a Sydney household have been imported in a container through Port Botany – everything from food, beverages, footwear and floor coverings to mattresses, paints, fridges, televisions and toys.”

Marika says that the arrival of the record-breaking Ural demonstrates the resilience of Port Botany, despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, “As an essential service, Port Botany has remained open and operating 24/7 to keep the goods flowing to service the people and businesses of NSW.

“Ships continue to arrive regularly at Port Botany, carrying supplies including food, beverages, retail and construction goods and manufactured items as well as bulk liquid imports of petrol, LPG and chemicals, with minimal disruption.”

Year to date, as at May (11 months), FY20 total container volumes at Port Botany are down 6.4% on the prior year’s volumes, which in relative terms is a strong position given what’s happening around the world. Importantly, unlike many industries which have had to stand down their people, during this time our port workers have remained in employment, working around the clock to facilitate our trade needs.
Marika adds that arrival of this spectacular sized ship also demonstrates Port Botany’s ability to accommodate the next generation of global container vessels, “While most ships calling into Australia are around 5000-6000 TEU, container vessel sizes are increasing due to the steady increase in the international container freight task and the consolidation of freight by shipping lines to achieve economies of scale. We are pleased to welcome these large vessels and expect to see more visit Port Botany in the future.”

Background stats on Port Botany – an essential service supporting NSW

  • Port Botany operates 24/7 and handles 99% of NSW’s container volumes (2.6 million Twenty Foot Container Equivalents (or TEUs, which is the standard measurement of a container) and the bulk of NSW’s LPG, fuel and other bulk liquid needs.
  • The port plays a critical social and economic role delivering:
    • $3.7 billion to NSW’s economy every year
    • Supporting 25,000 jobs
    • Nearly half (42%) of all goods in a Sydney household have been imported in a container through Port Botany – everything from food, beverages, footwear and floor coverings to mattresses, paints, fridges, televisions and toys.
    • Nearly one in four Australians, or around six million people have a financial interest in Port Botany through their Australian superannuation funds.
  • Port Botany has a natural deep-water shipping channel, 12 container vessel berths, a short transit to and from berth facilities and infrastructure in place to handle ships up to 15,000 TEU today.

For more information on NSW Ports and an analysis of Port Botany’s trade statistics throughout the COVID-19 pandemic visit: nswports.com.au

To download this media release click here.

For more media information please contact NSW Ports on 0410 597 547 or vida.cheeseman@nswports.com.au

About NSW Ports

NSW Ports manages Port Botany and Port Kembla, key export and import gateways connecting to global markets, and the Enfield Intermodal Logistics Centre and the Cooks River Intermodal Terminal. NSW Ports is a private consortium of leading institutional investors: IFM Investors (including Cbus, HESTA and Hostplus), AustralianSuper, Tawreed Investments Limited and Q Super. Our shareholders represent over six million Australian superannuation fund members and are long term investors with interests in a range of Australian infrastructure assets.  

 

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