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The changing face of the terminal operator business. Discussion – David Greig. July 2007. ACCC regulatory conference. European and Australian geography. The main trades. Exports (minerals, grain…) from inland by rail to nearest port
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The changing face of the terminal operator business Discussion – David Greig July 2007 ACCC regulatory conference
The main trades • Exports (minerals, grain…) from inland by rail to nearest port • Usually a unique port, sometimes two (Vic/SA grain, Qld coal) • Imports shipped direct to each main (coastal) market • Coastal shipping limited to bulk commodities (petroleum, alumina, cement…) and Tasmania • Not much land bridging
Land bridging • Adelaide-Melbourne for shipping frequency • Melbourne-Darwin didn’t happen • A blip of rail land bridging during a temporary shipping shortage • Some by transfer between ships • Generally uneconomic because of Australia’s geography
Transport barriers to entry • Trucking close to perfect competition • No real barriers to coastal shipping • Ports • physical barriers low – land available or reclaimable • commercial barriers significant – need to enter 2 or 3 ports (Melbourne experience) • Logistics skills replicable • Rail entry barriers declining
Rail entry barriers • Entry constrained by infrastructure capacity – train paths • Best paths taken – train length, time of day • However a major Auslink/ARTC upgrade is under way • Many more long passing loops – and can keep adding – and improved signalling • Much more capacity, for growth and new entrants • Contrast with Europe
Conclusions • Far less port choice than Europe • Far more port operator market share than Europe • However: • ACCC => Toll/Asciano split • Stevedoring somewhat contestable • Rest of the chain is becoming contestable.