Northern Stevedoring Services crews are preparing to be challenged over coming months when tasked to handle ordinance from 16 different countries participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Member defence forces have started deployment in the Townsville and Shoalwater Bay training areas for the exercise, which is held every two years.
That includes a multitude of soldiers, airmen and navy crew and the ships, aircraft and armoured fighting vehicles they operate to engage the enemy.
Northern Stevedoring Services is at the front line of the deployment, handling the discharge of resources and equipment through three regional Queensland ports including Townsville, Gladstone and Alma Bay.
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Each force had a different stable of equipment, NSS Stevedoring Manager Scott Neame said.
The Japanese Self Defence Force is one of the first to arrive and Scott[BH1] said the deployment was getting larger and more complicated with each exercise, Scott said.
“They’re definitely bringing more specialised equipment into Australia and that’s been a challenge for us. Every time we get a new shipment arrive, it’s different. It’s something new we have to work out how to deal with.
“The (Japanese) kit ranges from eight-wheeled tanks and their different light Humvee-like vehicles. It is all different and essentially, we get it, we’ve got to work at how we’re going to lift it off the vessel, quick, safe and sound.
“To our Stevedores’ credit, every time they tackle these things it is with a positive attitude. When we land them on Townsville wharf, the ordinance is processed through quarantine and delivered out to Lavarack Barracks, ready for the exercise in record time.”
Every defence consignment was different, Scott said.
“Particularly break bulk (cargo) because you don’t know what you’re going to deal with.
“You’re adjusting, you’re trying to make it happen. It could be balance, pitch or alignment. And that’s a credit to the guys.
“We’ve got a great setup in the background and NSS is very committed to having good supplies of stores with plenty of gear in them so we can adjust quickly and adapt to what we need to do to get the job done.”
The French contingent is due in July followed by the US, which is the largest force in the exercise.