DP World, one of the two stevedoring companies in Melbourne, have decided that in relation to the release and receival of containers as well as container storage they will treat Sundays as a normal working day. This has become effective from October 1st 2008.

The main reason given is that increasing vessel call and container numbers and the misalignment of wharf and landside container movement are causing substantial congestion at the terminal, particularly on week-ends. We understand that whilst 30% of container volumes are received on week-ends only 11% of container volumes are released on week-ends, causing a bottle neck at the terminal.

In practice this means that Saturdays and Sundays are now considered part of the 3 storage free days during which containers can be collected from the wharf before storage charges apply. Effected containers will be available for collection Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Saturday, Sunday, Monday.

Since it will not be possible to collect all containers on the Friday or Monday trucking companies will increasingly be forced to deliver and collect containers on Saturdays and Sundays which will result in:

- 2 stage deliveries via transport yards due to limited importer/exporter operating hours on week-ends
- 2 stage deliveries via transport yards due to very limited possibilities of de-hiring empty containers
- The Customs' Container Examination Facility does not operate on Sundays
- Container steam cleaning is very limited on Sundays

This in turn will cause additional costs which will have to be passed on to importers and exporters. Costs caused by steam cleaning or Customs Examination will be passed on as outlaid. However, additional transport costs to cover the 2 stage deliveries and associated costs for containers available for collection on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or on Saturday, Sunday, Monday are not clear at this stage and for the time being will have to be dealt with on a case by case basis.

We will keep you advised on further developments, however please do contact us with any queries that you may have.

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