Head Office Report, by Henning Christiansen, Martin Byrne, Joe Fallone & Greg Yates
Bluescope spin on Iron Monarch
It appears that the Bluescope line in January about the “compelling case” being for the shipment of steel coils by rail from Port Kembla to Victoria is another example of public relations spin doctors at work. A ship called the Kaiti Hill (IMO9286944) has been the subject of 14 applications for single voyage permits (SVPs) since October 2011. Each of the voyages has been for the carriage of steel coils [or steel slab on one or two occasions] from Port Kembla to Westernport.
to reduce transport
costs. In turn it is the high value of the Australian dollar which is making the Australian steel industry suffer –and many other manufacturers.
The Hong Kong flag vessel Kaiti Hill is now carrying steel coil to Westernport – using multiple SVPs – after the laying up of the Iron Monarch which carried steel slab
supply chain Inglby Dickson that rail would be the option.
However actions speak louder than words. The Kaiti Hill has had the following SVP applications since October:
Iron Monarch Chief Engineer Allan Lovett and
AIMPE Assistant Federal Secretary Martin Byrne in Port Kembla
Shipping is generally a much more efficient means of moving heavy cargoes over long distances - especially from one coastal location to another coastal location. So it was very surprising to receive the comments from the Bluescope Steel general manager
On Watch March 2012 page 28
The half year financial results tell the truth for Bluescope Steel - around $530
million in net losses after
tax including $260 million in restructuring costs. That is the financial reality which caused the company to cut its steel production in half and what is motivating its drive
The Kaiti Hill is a Hong
Kong Chinese flag bulk ship built in 2004,
owned by a one ship company but managed by Pacific Basin Shipping. Interestingly the crew is apparently sourced from the Channel Islands ?
The foreign takeover of Austra- lia’s coastal trades continues.
Fair Work Act review AIMPE has made a submission to the Federal Government’s review of the operation of the Fair Work Act. The issues addressed by the AIMPE submission included: The problems associated with
1. Sailing 26 October 2011 15,000MT coils 2. Sailing 4 November 2011 16,000MT coils 3. Sailing 12 November 2011 14,300MT coils 4. Sailing 19 November 2011 1,100MT slabs 5. Sailing 20 November 2011 14,500MT coils 6. Sailing 24 November 2011 1,078MT slabs 7. Sailing 5 December 2011 19,503 MT coils 8. Sailing 2 January 2012 17,000MT coils 9. Sailing 11 January 2012 20,000MT coils 10. Sailing 24 January 2012 15,589 MT coils 11. Sailing 3 February 2012 15,381 MT coils 12. Sailing 13 February 2012 14,573 MT coils 13. Sailing 24 February 12 2012 14,400 MT coils 14. Sailing 5 March 2012 14,315 MT coils
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