After a COVID-enforced delay, the quarterly International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) networking luncheon in Adelaide finally went ahead last week. The event was held at The Lakes Resort Hotel and the speakers were John Warda – Chairman ICHCA Australia and keynote speaker Stewart Lammin, CEO of Flinders Port Holdings.

The event was well attended by more than 60 representatives from freight industry service providers and beyond who were keen to hear about the state of play of South Australia’s port operations and some of FPH’s future strategies.

John Warda highlighted the important role that ICHCA plays within the cargo handling industry in Australia and overseas. ICHCA Australia is a chapter of ICHCA International, a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1952 which has strong relationships with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other key UN agencies. This allows ICHCA to play a key role in influencing new regulations and legislation to improve the safety of cargo handling operations worldwide.

Keynote speaker Stewart Lammin spoke to the company’s background and its future, notably that the business is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021. Stewart indicated that the future for FPH looks bright considering the challenging year everyone has had due to the pandemic and with much to celebrate and look forward to. Stewart shared some of the key achievements and milestones in FPH’s Sustainability Plan which was launched in late 2019. The company has also embarked on a 50-Year Master Planning exercise.

Stewart then guided the audience through the pipeline for capital investment in relation to the company’s port assets and the costs associated with asset maintenance as well as a range of initiatives costing $1 billion over the next 20 years. To finish, Stewart outlined FPH’s strategy for executing its “Smart Port “journey. This involves the company working towards:

  • increasing capacity at its port operations,
  • protecting South Australia’s and FPH’s competitiveness in a global marketplace,
  • reviewing data analytics and real-time monitoring, which will deliver improved asset management,
  • improving sustainability by limiting energy consumption and reducing waste and environmental impact, and
  • improving SA businesses’ global competitiveness (exports) as well as ultimately reducing costs for SA’s buying goods (imports).

The function was a great opportunity for industry participants to come together, enjoy good food and participate in some networking.