Innovative ramp helps boost livestock trade as Indonesia dominates export markets

Innovation is helping drive an increase in livestock exports at Darwin Port as well as improve animal welfare and worker safety.

A new livestock loading ramp at Darwin Port is streamlining the delivery of large consignments of export cattle while maintaining animal welfare and worker safety standards.

The innovation comes amid industry hopes of a stronger year for the live cattle trade, backed by figures released by NT Livestock Exporters Association that show almost 20,000 livestock were exported out of Darwin in February.

This represents a 9 per cent increase on the February 2022 figure and a 71 per cent jump on the previous month.

Built for stevedoring company Qube’s Darwin livestock operations, the new ramp was developed in close collaboration with major cattle exporter Frontier International.

The new ramp can complete loading into a G-class vessel in about half the time and twice as efficiently as was previously possible.

An innovative new ramp design has delivered spectacular results for Territory livestock exporters

Frontier International spokesman Tick Everett said the new ramp reflected confidence in the livestock export industry.

“This sort of new infrastructure, in time, benefits our entire industry,” Mr Everett said.

“We first used the ramp on some smaller shipments before Christmas and that allowed us to test the systems out and make sure the last touches and modifications were fit for purpose.”

Covid-19 as well as labour and material shortages delayed completion of the ramp.

Qube operations manager Scott Sims said the ramp was a collaboration between Frontier and Argyle Engineering in Kununurra.

“Innovation, safety and welfare have been at the forefront of our effort and we’re proud to be supporting this important industry with this investment,” Mr Sims said.

Four-on-the-floor – An innovative new ramp design is improving livestock export outcomes at Darwin Port.

“The complete unit is easy to set up, reduces wait and load times and includes a raft of safety features for both animals and crews.”

The new ramp is custom built to act as a bridge connecting unloading trucks to the awaiting ship and is designed specifically for smooth, controlled cattle movement in mind.

“The hydraulic feet take the weight of the ramp and is a massive game-changer because the greater stability means there’s less bouncing around and less noise,” Mr Everett said.

“That makes a huge difference to the cattle because they move more smoothly and safely from the truck, through the ramp and onto the ship.

“We can also adjust the height of the ramp at either end, so we’re less likely to be delayed by a low tide and we can also unload cattle from trailers of any height.”

It has also delivered benefits for the truck drivers hauling cattle to port.

Pepper Transport co-owner Jason Pepper.

Lisa Pepper, who owns and operates Pepper Transport with her husband Jason, said the ramp delivered genuine efficiencies.

“In terms of efficiency, the new ramp and the ability to do run-throughs means cattle are spending less time standing around on trucks,” she said.

“At the export yard, we can load up to four trucks per hour and now, depending on the lines of cattle, the new ramp has meant we can achieve the same rate unloading at the port.”

Loading 3500-4000 cattle on to a typical G-Class vessel could now be completed in five to six hours with the new ramp, representing a significant improvement in efficiency factoring in it could previously have taken 10 hours or more.

The latest livestock export figures show 17,958 head were exported to Indonesia and 1472 to the Philippines in February. This compares with 5526 head in January and 17,821 in February 2022.