Page 8 - Towards better compaction v0.5

Towards Better Compaction

High and consistent product

compaction rates

Woodchips have a low specific gravity which means that the vessel’s holds fill up before the weight
of the woodchips and the vessel’s draft (the distance between the waterline and the bottom of the
hull) becomes excessive.

All ports are draft limited (e.g. Bell Bay offers permanent access to vessels up to 11.4-metre draft)
and often require dredging to maintain this. The draft of the vessel determines the amount of water
between the keel and the sea floor.
The compaction rate affects the number of
woodchips that can fit into a hold. From a
commercial point of view, the higher the compaction
rate, the greater the number of chips shipped, the
greater the financial return to the shipper.
A low compaction rate means that there are air gaps
between the chips, they are not sitting flat, and the
customer is paying to ship air, rather than just
woodchips.
Different types of timbers and moisture content
levels have an impact on the compaction rate, but
we cannot change these – we can only control the
way we handle and load them.

Failure to achieve consistently high compaction rates can negatively impact the shipper/cargo owner
in two main areas:

Financial Impact

The shipper is liable for penalty costs from the customer for woodchips not delivered. Poorly
compacted chips slump during the voyage, with slumps of more than 3 metres being common.
These losses can amount to more than $30,000 per voyage.

Reputational Impact

The woodchip export market is very competitive, and if Tasmania’s reputation for consistent high
compaction rates is damaged, it could take many years to regain the trust of our customers (if ever).
A downturn in the Tasmanian woodchip export industry would have a devastating impact on
Tasmania’s economy and jobs.

It is our responsibility to do all we can to maintain consistently high compaction rates.

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