Achieving a 7% improvement in ship loading availability at one of Australia's largest Ports

The challenge: Our client urgently needed to improve the availability and reliability of its' range of train unloading and ship loading physical assets to meet the challenges associated with significantly increased throughput demands.   Every hour of downtime saved would contribute to breathing space which would enable customer requirements to be met while Port expansion plans were under way.

The approach: Following a short scoping study to evaluate existing performance and the potential for improvement, we worked through a four phase implementation programme with the client. Our joint client-consultant team worked through a programme including:

• A site-wide plant criticality analysis to identify hot spots, potential quick wins and to prioritise effort
• Development of operations and maintenance measures
  Implementation of an automated measures reporting system for CEO to Superintendent levels
• Development and implementation of ‘To Be’ maintenance processes
• Site wide implementation of an RCM2-based proactive maintenance programme
• Risk assessment and bundling of all maintenance tasks into schedules
• Implementation of Job Cards to the computerised maintenance management programme
• Supporting the reorganisation of maintenance into area-based teams

The outcome:

7% Increase in Ship Loading availability

50% Reduction in unplanned downtime

Over the 15 month period of the project, ship loading overall equipment effectiveness increased by 7%, equivalent to a multi-million tonne throughput increase, with reliability increased by 45%. Unplanned downtime almost halved from 9% to under 5%. In parallel, there were reductions in coal spillage generally throughout the plant with an increased focus on risk reduction.