This Report sets out recommended new rates of assistance to be paid under the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme on eligible southbound cargoes and on northbound shipments of livestock and timber.

The southbound rates were recalculated to meet a direction issued by the Commonwealth Government when the Freight Equalisation Scheme was first introduced, while the direction to recalculate timber rates arose from recommendations made in the 1978 BTE report giving new northbound TFES rates.

The investigation of northbound livestock rates was initially directed towards determining whether higher rates of assistance should be paid on consignments of stud animals, but during the course of the study the terms of reference were widened to cover all livestock shipments.

In order to provide information to assist with the continuing administration of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme, the Minister for Transport directed the BTE to undertake studies of the costs incurred by Australian industries on Mainland interstate long distance freight transport, and the factors determining the freight rates charged between Tasmania and the Mainland and the potential for cost reductions.

This Report was prepared in response to a Ministerial reference to the Bureau relating to an investigation of the demand for sea passenger transport between Tasmania and the mainland.

• Demand for Sea Passenger Transport between Tasmania and the Australian Mainland
  
  report_046.pdf
  (3.09 MB)

This Paper presents the results of statistical analyses of ship characteristics which have been undertaken to provide input to models of ship costs and operations in particular trades. Standard least squares regressions were performed on the data to relate particular ship characteristics to deadweight. Deadweight was selected as the common denominator for the regressions because of its universal acceptance as a measure of ship size and because of its wide use in the reporting of statistical information.

• Regression Analysis of Ship Characteristics
  
  op_038.pdf
  (4.11 MB)

With the introduction of cellular container ships in the overseas liner trades, cargo which had traditionally been handled at many ports around Australia was centralised on a few major ports. This change had had a substantial impact on port activity, utilisation of existing facilities, waterside employment and land transport activity.

This report presents the results of a study to determine whether existing cargo centralisation arrangements minimise total transport resource costs and to explore the potential for change.

• Cargo Centralisation in the Overseas Liner Trade
  
  report_052.pdf
  (4.95 MB)

Estimates of the operating costs of ships are central to the analysis of a range of issues in shipping and ports investment and operations. As part of BTE studies a substantial body of information on ships operations had been assembled. This paper has generalised that information into statistical relationships for three ship types serving Australia–Bulk, Roll on/Roll off and Container Vessels. The scheme for the analysis follows that of Goss (1974).

• An Estimate of Operating Costs for Bulk, Ro-ro and Container Ships
  
  ip_004.pdf
  (2.58 MB)

The study shows that the coal export trade from the port of Hay Point will provide most of the shipping which will use Hydrographers Passage.

• Evaluation of the Construction and Operation of Navigational Aids in Hydrographers Passage
  
  op_056.pdf
  (2.84 MB)

This study was undertaken to assist in the development of manpower policies for the Australian merchant navy. More specifically the objectives were to review the recent recruitment, promotion and wastage characteristics of personnel in the industry, to estimate the numbers of recruits required in future years to sustain industry growth and to assess the mobility of labour within the industry.

• Employment and Mobility Characteristics of Australian Merchant Navy Personnel
  
  op_058.pdf
  (2.52 MB)

This report is on the economic and financial benefits and costs of providing standard gauge railway lines to the ports of Brisbane, Melbourne and Geelong. The terms of reference for the study also required the BTE to examine the possible standardisation of the Tocumwal-Mangalore railway line because of the interdependence between the proposed Tocumwal-Mangalore and Melbourne-Geelong links. As a result, the study covered standard gauge links to Fisherman Islands (Brisbane), Swanson Dock (Melbourne) and Geelong, with the latter project including a standard gauge connection between Tocumwal and Mangalore.

• Evaluation of Standard Gauge Rail Connections to Selected Ports
  
  report_054.pdf
  (10.45 MB)

This Paper contains an analysis of the productivity of the Glebe Island and Seatainer terminals in Port Jackson over the period 1977 to 1981. The results of this work should not only enhance public understanding of the factors which affect container berth productivity but should also be valuable for future comparison with the productivity of other terminals.

• Container Terminal Productivity in Port Jackson from 1977 to 1981
  
  op_065.pdf
  (5.48 MB)