‘Worst-case disaster scenario’ — will take WA truckies 200 trips to get farm machinery back after port debacle

It could take 200 trips, millions of dollars and weeks too long to get crucial farm machinery to WA farms in time for harvest after they were caught up in an industrial action dispute at Fremantle Port this week. WA farmers are appealing to port workers on strike to make an exception for urgent farm machinery to be unloaded to avoid a major catastrophe and “jeopardise family businesses” with a bumper harvest just around the corner. Growers and machinery dealerships are looking at spending “tens of millions” to retrieve crucial farm machinery from the east coast after the ships carrying it were unable to unload. Instead of being unloaded and taken to the WA farms which desperately need them, 42 combine harvesters, machinery and parts are en route to Melbourne and Adelaide after three ships were unable to unload in Perth in the past week. It comes as Fremantle Port faces its 71st day of industrial action by Maritime Union of Australia — WA members as they call for a “fair EBA” for port workers. The State’s grain growers have got caught in the crossfire, with crucial machinery for harvest — which has already started for some growers in the north — now thousands of kilometres away. An uproar has ensued amongst farmers, some of which have sold their older gear on the assumption their new machines would be arriving this week. WA’s trucking companies — which are already stretched to their limits — are going to be lumped with the task of getting it back. It will take truckies more than 200 trips, according to Western Roads Federation chief executive Cam Dumesny. “If you had to write a worst-case disaster scenario about the supply chain, we’re just about at it,” he said. “We’re already flat out trying to support mining and agriculture as is. “We’ve already got disruptions in global shipping, disruptions in air freight, rail has been at capacity, we’re 300 train drivers short plus truck drivers... it’s like they said that was too easy.” Between organising flags, flashing lights, pilot vehicles and police escorts for the larger-than-life equipment, farmers will also need to get their hands on an available truck, which at this stage are few and far between. WAFarmers grains section president and Esperance grain grower Mic Fels said at this urgent stage, dealerships who wanted to deliver on promises and farmers desperate for gear might even pick it up themselves. “It will cost tens of millions of dollars in movement under the time constraints,” he said. “You’d never consider doing it if you weren’t forced to.” He said during the past six weeks since the strike started, headers, header fronts and hay equipment have been stuck at the port, but fortunately have now made it onto farms. In the next few weeks, he said, getting parts would be a major issue and they needed to “unblock the pipe ASAP”.