It’s been a busy season for washbay crews on the Northern Stevedoring Services leases in Townsville, Gladstone and Rockhampton.
Townsville Logistics Depot Coordinator Penny Skipper said recurring business ramped up in line with exercise Talisman Sabre.
Penny’s crew of five worked round the clock some shifts preparing ordinance and vehicles that support the various countries’ defence forces participating in the exercise.
At the same time, they are helping discharge copper concentrates and load cathode for export which are bulk and containerised shipments respectively.
The crew were under heightened scrutiny of biosecurity at this time, Penny said.
“It’s mainly making sure that no BRM (Biosecurity Risk Material) is coming into the country, so we just follow the directions from quarantine.
“Whenever military equipment comes off the ships, we just follow their directions on what needs to be cleaned. You could have three to four shipments at a time with the military.
“There is a lot of containerised equipment for the military. Now and again, we’ll get tanks in, but … as soon as we get tanks in, it’s really security-based … We pull a 24-hour standard on the tanks.
“Certain equipment needs the engines out for cleaning and some don’t. But we’re always dismantling washing and then reassembling and that is 90 per cent of whatever comes in for the military.”
All members of the crew needed to be trained and assessed by biosecurity for accreditation, Penny said.
“If the (HMAS) Adelaide comes in, we could have our yard full plus the lay down area, which the Army has nearby.
“And that lay down area could be full as well. And all we have in our yard is our priority ones, which could range up to at least 20 vehicles in our yard at the one time.
“We have at least five days to try and get them out and they could have up to 10 to 15 vehicles as priority-one, maybe containers, that’s all their packings, their backpacks and all that.
“It’s a lot of juggling. We try and get two inspections per week to keep us ahead, to try and keep us ahead of our priorities.”
She was proud of the effort of her team, Penny said.
“I’m just so grateful for the staff that we have here. I know I can be very pushy. I just give them their priorities, what they need to do within the week and they get that done. I’m very happy with them.
“We always get good feedback from the Australian Army and the Americans. The Australian Joint Movement is who we deal with. They always appreciate the work and us having to have it out in time for them.”
NSS was looking to expand the capacity in the logistics depot from three to six bays, Penny said.