Port RATS pain tipped to further fray struggling supply chain
A SHORTAGE of rapid antigen tests stranding port and freight workers at home even if they’re not sick is threatening to worsen product shortages.
Industry and logistics chiefs say 20 to 50 per cent of some key workforce groups are now being impacted by Covid-19 – with many deemed close contacts of people infected and requiring tests to check if they are safe to return to work.
Federal and state governments have promised millions of self-administered RATS will be here by the end of the month, but without immediate intervention industry groups say the supply chain could fray further.
Victorian Transport Association chief executive Peter Anderson said free rapid antigen tests must be provided to transport workers so goods weren’t sitting on containers.
“Stevedores have been facing the same close contact labour shortage issues as the broader freight sector, where some trucking companies have reported up to 50 per cent of drivers isolating at some point since Christmas,” Mr Anderson said.
“Changes to isolation rules will help to alleviate stevedore labour shortages, but when close contacts can’t work because they don’t have access to the rapid tests they need, what’s the point?”
Supermarket chiefs have already introduced buying limits on some items due to dwindling stock, while fast food chains have warned that some goods will be unavailable.
Ports Australia chief executive Mike Gallacher said the shipping sector had done an “amazing job” insulating itself from the coronavirus but Omicron meant there were many “people being affected by people being infected”.
Pharmaceuticals, fuel and agriculture supplies are now under growing pressure, amid concerns about delays unloading containers and getting ships in and out of port.
“Without having access to RATS it’s very difficult to provide a safe working environment,” he said.
“The challenge is over the next few weeks,” he said.
“It will go beyond that, but when we see RATS coming in then it will give people confidence.”
One shipping industry source said “the delays we have seen both landside and water-side will continue” but it was hoped product shortages would be “no worse than it was at its worst last year” because there were now more vessels servicing Australia.