Challenges Hindering Australia's Logistical System

Standing between Perth and Sydney are some of the driest places in the country that span more than 500,000 square miles. In fact, at one point, it got so hot in Central Australia that the Australian Bureau of Meteorology added deep purple to their thermal charts. The deserts of Australia pose a logistical challenge due to the scorching climate and the endless expanse of sand. On top of that is the concern over fuel consumption, as Sydney is almost 2,500 miles away from Perth.

Logistics can become a challenge not only in this particular region but nationwide as well. Western Australia, for example, occupies a third of the entire land mass, which means long and arduous drives for truckers. Major arteries for the region are located in the north and south coasts, but no roads exist further inland. In other words, if trucks want to travel from the north to the south, they have to go around the barrens instead of cross them.

It's for this reason that Australia invests heavily on its road network; the deserts are the last place you want to drive through. A series of expressways provide a faster and more efficient link to major cities all over the country. Whether the truck's carrying water or precious cargo, challenges in logistics is an inevitable part of the industry. Novel solutions may result in new problems, but they can also result in innovation. 

Read More

Efficient Freight Transport for Basic Goods: a Matter of Life and Death

You might think that freight transport companies are merely concerned with trade and profit. Yet did you know that timely delivery of basic goods can also be a matter of life and death? This is the reason why freight companies take their job seriously.

Be it on the local or international scale, the speed at which goods are distributed can mean prosperity or destabilization for entire economies. Without the means to convey basic commodities like rice, corn, and wheat on a massive scale, nations on the brink of collapse due to drought and famine may soon succumb to anarchy, especially since the international community can't provide the necessary aid. Meanwhile, industries may grind to a halt if they can't get hold of the raw materials they need for their manufacturing processes.

To put it simply, the economy will be at a standstill in the absence of efficient freight transport services. This sector of the global economy is thus the engine that keeps business alive in practically all areas of the globe. Without reliable freight transport, no goods can be delivered and virtually nothing can be accomplished. There will simply be nothing to trade and no business to speak of. Efficient freight transport thus serves as a pillar of the world economy.

Read More

Fast Facts and Trivia about Water

Everyone agrees that water is the most important substance on earth. However, not everyone knows every bit of trivia about this tasteless, odorless, and colorless liquid. Here are some facts about water:

• Only 3% of the water found on earth is drinkable or fresh water. The rest of 97% is ocean, or salt water.
• 68.7% of that fresh water is trapped in glaciers. If ever they melted, sea levels will rise to up to 10 meters, flooding 25% of the United States population.
• Americans use 100 gallons of water per day for the average family. Most of it is used to flush the toilet, more than any other action. Conversely, the average African family who live below the Sahara have only 2-5 gallons of water to use everyday.
• More than 2 billion people have no access to safe water. To fetch water, most of them walk for at least 3 hours. In Third World countries, 10,000 children under the age of 5 die because of illnesses from drinking impure water.

So the next time you brush your teeth, bear in mind that you can save up to 4 gallons of water by turning it off. If you see it dripping, have it fixed straightaway. 3,000 gallons could be wasted in a year by that unattended drip. 

Read More

The Role of Water Delivery in Dust Control for Mines

Western Australia’s mining industry is one of the more competitive in the world. Name any precious metals traded in the market and, chances are, at least one company is hard at work extracting them from a deposit somewhere in the state. The industry is likewise ripe for more investment from international mining bigwigs; a global survey identified Australia as “investor-friendly” in terms of faster permit approvals, less corruption, and effective handling of social issues.

Worker safety is also a priority in the state as well as for the rest of the country. Since many mines are located deep into WA interior, there are fewer paved roads to connect them. The road traffic in and out of the mines can string up clouds of dust that will potentially affect employees. As such, mines set up road dust controls to keep the area free of hazards.

This type of work usually involves spraying layers of water multiple times into the unpaved road’s surface to harden it. The water that will be utilized for this specific purpose can be delivered and stored at mine site dams, and can be used in addition to the water supply from the local water table. With the help of water delivery services and efficient dust control measures, miners are protected from inhaling harmful substances into their system.

Read More

Transporting Water into Perth from the Kimberley

The greater Perth metropolitan area has undergone tough times as far its water supply is concerned. Although the city itself sits on top of an ancient aquifer, changes in environmental conditions have stressed the water supply to the point of a water shortage crisis. Experts are hard-pressed to find new resources in light of a growing population and higher standard of living for Perth natives. Recent developments in the Federal Government’s water management discussions, on the other hand, are leaning towards the revival of a water project linking Perth with the Kimberley.

Originally proposed in mid-2005 but rejected a year later, the plan called for a 3,700-kilometer canal to be built from the Kimberley to Perth. Other elements of the plan involved laying down pipelines, towing bags of water down the coast, and tapping supertankers to transport water. This comes at a time when Colin Barnett, who expressed intentions for such a plan in his failed run for the premiership in 2005, is now the state premier facing reelection.

Even the opposition is welcoming the initiative, with Shadow Regional Development Minister Barnaby Joyce hard at work in shunning Federal Government critics. Pundits say that the project will help shape the Kimberley’s political future. 

Read More

The Big Rationale Behind the Bigness of Freight Trucks

Big might not always be better, but it's often the only way to get the job done as fast as possible. For instance, a single freight truck can perform the job of hundreds of pickup trucks or small trucks, which will translate to benefits such as less transport costs. Without the massive cargo capacity of these huge vehicles, shortages could be imminent – and such things can spell disaster for any business.

Trucking doesn’t just happen locally; in fact, it usually happens on a national level, with goods being shipped from one city to the other regardless of distance. All over Australia, for example, truckers have at least 800,000 kilometers of road ahead of them. Sydney is definitely not a stone’s throw away from Darwin, let alone from Perth. There’s no time to make multiple trips, and there's limited capital to sustain these road expeditions.

It’s easier to cover more ground in a single trip than to drive back and forth all the time, which is why freight trucks carry as much as they can in one go. In addition, fatigue is likely to set in if the truckers are constantly on the road with little to no breaks in between. With the issue of safety and practicality on the line, it's no wonder that freight trucks are big for a reason. 

Read More