MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Mathilde - the first ship acquired by Wilh Wihelmsen in 1865 Celebrating 125 years of partnership: Wallenius Wilhelmsen in Australia By WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN OCEANIA The Norway-based global RoRo shipping and logistics company has a long-standing trading relationship with Australia. When Captain JO Edvardsen first dropped anchor in Sydney in 1895, little did he know that it would mark the beginning of a long and fruitful trading history with Australia. Tiger carried timber from US West Coast to Sydney, and loaded wool and other general cargo destined for Europe. Fast forward more than a century since that maiden voyage, and Wallenius Wilhelmsen continues to Talabot - the first steamer acquired in 1887 support the people and businesses of Australia. 34 Shipping Australia Limited I Spring/Summer 2020 The company also exports used mining and construction equipment, cranes and steel products from Australia to key markets across the globe. Connecting Australia with the world Wallenius Wilhelmsen vessels pay approximately 250 plus, port calls every year to the major Oceania ports of Auckland, Papeete, Noumea, Melbourne, Port Kembla Brisbane and Fremantle, and inducement calls to several ports based on customer’s requirements to the likes of Adelaide, Newcastle, Mackay and Gladstone, servicing major trade routes. Tiger - on her maiden voyage in 1895, was the first Wilhelm ship to arrive in Sydney Harbour. She carried timber from the west coast of the United States, then loaded wool and general cargo to Europe From Europe to Oceania, multiple sailings a month are offered, stopping at a number of key European ports via South Africa and North America, including Southampton, United Kingdom; Le Havre, France; Zeebrugge, Belgium; and Bremerhaven, Germany. The Americas to Oceania trade route again boasts multiple sailings a month, with port stops at Tacoma, Washington; Baltimore, Maryland; Savannah, Georgia; and Manzanillo, Panama among others. Meanwhile, for Oceania to Asia trade, there are two sailings a month to destinations including Singapore; Shanghai, China; Inchon and Masan, South Korea; and Kobe, Nagoya, Yokohama and Hitachinaka, Japan. Back on dry land, the Australian head Salome – part of Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s modern fleet offices for Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Ocean and Solutions businesses are based in Melbourne, with 25 The company’s shared history with for the quickest passage to Europe with employees supporting ocean services Australia has many highlights. From the first wool of the season – breaking and 175 employees working across launching the first RoRo services records for the largest shipment on one land-based operations, including here in 1972 and founding Melbourne keel, in the process. at equipment processing centres in International RoRo and Auto Terminal These days, its vessels are more likely Melbourne, Sydney, Port Kembla, (MIRRAT) in 2016, to playing a pioneering to break records importing all manner of Brisbane and Perth. role in combating the brown marmorated products for global OEMs. This includes stink bug, it’s been an eventful 125 years. mining and construction equipment for Serving supply chains across the the likes of Caterpillar, Komatsu, Terex globe Supporting Australian industry and Liebherr; agricultural products for Wallenius Wilhelmsen operates eleven John Deere, Case New Holland and Today, Wallenius Wilhelmsen continues terminals at some of the largest RoRo Landpower; vehicles for BMW, Toyota, to support many of Australia’s most ports in the world, offering flexible Ford and Nissan; transport for Volvo, important industries, just as it has done processing, handling and storage, Scania and Mercedes-Benz Truck; and in years gone by. combined with strong inland connections other cargo, such as boats and yachts, via railroad and short-sea voyage. Back in January 1937 the company’s helicopters, aircrafts, mining equipment, vessel Thermopylae carried 40,011 defence equipment, power generation Last year alone, six million units bales of wool to Europe as part of the equipment, windmill blades, steel, cranes passed through its terminals, including ‘wool races’ – an annual competition and railcars. Melbourne’s MIRRAT. Shipping Australia Limited I Spring/Summer 2020 35 MIRRAT Terminal in Melbourne Operating as the only RoRo terminal Australia’s top performing terminal – including shipping lines, truckers at the port of Melbourne, MIRRAT In its first full year of operations (2017- and OEMs – both time and money by has a strong environmental focus. 2018), MIRRAT successfully absorbed allowing them to track cargo on their Sustainability is at the heart of the a 300 per cent increase in volume and smart devices. For example, truckers facility’s pioneering design, which boasts vessel calls, without a single vessel can see gate information and are notified LED lighting, a rainwater collection delay. In recognition, last year it was when their cargo is ready to be picked system and a 100kW solar array to awarded the Terminal of the Year prize at up, whiles OEMs can see when their power our administrative building. the Daily Cargo News Australia Shipping units are discharged from a vessel. Spread across 35.7 hectares are three and Maritime Industry Awards. In addition, MIRRAT recently introduced berths, indoor and outdoor storage At MIRRAT, avoiding delays goes hand- a new booking system to improve facilities and equipment solutions in-hand with enabling customers to keep cargo delivery and collection. By designed to deliver lifting capacity track of their cargo. Cue the terminal’s communicating real-time information of 120 tonnes. MIRRAT also offers cloud-based operating system, iTOMs, on the status of cargo moving through both short and long-term storage, which is currently being rolled out at the terminal, the system allows truck quarantine treatment for seeds and other Wallenius Wilhelmsen terminals operators to better plan their journeys, bugs, cargo surveying, crane lifts and across the globe, following a successful helping to prevent delays. This also has documentation preparation, as well as trial at MIRRAT in 2019. a positive impact for OEMs and freight cargo transhipment and distribution and forwarders, as it ensures cargo is being emergency mechanical work. The system saves terminal customers delivered and collected on schedule. Wallenius Wilhelmsen in Australia: 1895 to today 1895 1972 1995 1997 1999 1999 Wilh Wilhelmsen First RoRo services Wallenius Lines Wilhelmsen Lines Wilhelmsen Lines WWL commences to Australia commences commences and Wallenius commences services to (ScanAustral joint services to direct services Lines merge to vehicle Australia venture with vessel Australia from Australia to form Wallenius processing in Tricolor) China Wilhelmsen Australia logistics (WWL) 36 Shipping Australia Limited I Spring/Summer 2020 Sustainable logistics for a world in On land, 120 equipment and vehicle The company’s purpose-built heat motion processing centres handle millions of treatment facilities at Baltimore in the products each year. A wide variety US and Zeebrugge in Belgium, can Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s purpose is to of technical services are also offered, treat up to 120 and 540 cars a day build sustainable supply chains that including pre-delivery inspections, respectively. Meanwhile Zeebrugge’s enable more efficient, environmentally accessorisation, assembly and fumigation facility can treat 80 units of friendly solutions for land and sea disassembly and repairs – all of which rolling equipment or breakbulk cargo transport. are designed to improve speed to every day. Whether in the automotive, rolling market, reduce inventory costs and equipment or breakbulk industries, the lead times, and meet the needs of local Looking to the future company offers a range of services to markets and customers. help customers optimise their logistics, Much like the intrepid Captain Wilhelmsen, Wallenius Wilhelmsen meet market needs, cost efficiencies and Combating the threat of stink bugs environmental objectives, while forging takes a proactive approach to the most efficient path to market. Of course, building sustainable supply uncovering the future needs of its chains also means curbing the spread customers and markets. From A global network and high frequency of invasive species such as the brown delivering wool in the 1930s to sailing schedules – 125 vessels service marmorated stink bug. Ensuring becoming the first Australian line 15 trade routes to six continents – cargo is delivered pest free is a priority, to offer refrigerated cargo space in has helped to build a track record and the company works closely with 1949 to forging relationships with of quality, innovation and personal customers across the world to protect the the agricultural and heavy machinery service, bolstered by 158 years of environment in Australia and New Zealand. industry in the 80s, the company is shipping experience. constantly evolving how it trades in During the 2019-20 stink bug season, Australia. Last year, Wallenius Wilhelmsen there were no incidents of stink bugs in vessels made 1,200 sailings and cargo onboard Wallenius Wilhelmsen Australian partnerships have been 8,200 port calls, transporting 4.5 vessels bound for Oceania. central to the development of Wallenius million units of cargo in the process. Wilhelmsen - here’s to the next 125 From the strict requirements imposed The versatile fleet includes more years! than 50 RoRo vessels, capable of regarding certified treatment, to carrying cargo up to 6.1 metres