Modelling dock capacity ahead of airport passenger growth
The context
Major Australian international airport. Scaling toward 70M+ passengers with a major retail uplift, yet loading docks were aged, at or beyond safe capacity at peak, with no clear operational owner. Mandated 3D security screening and ~40% retail growth were set to compound the pressure.
What we did
- Current-state review — stakeholder interviews and site observations across operators, tenants and contractors
- Hour-by-hour demand vs capacity modelling of trucks, pallets and cartons
- End-to-end process mapping from booking through screening and reverse logistics
- Risk heatmap across people/plant interaction, fire egress and Chain of Responsibility
- Scenario modelling for the screening mandate — short-term levers and reconfiguration concepts
The results
- Quantified the gap: ~3,380 → ~5,070 cartons/day as screening cuts throughput ~360 → ~288/hr
- Evidenced critical peak-period safety risks in a clear heatmap
- Reframed the dock to a flow-optimised model — booking slots, dwell zoning, controlled crossings
- Sequenced roadmap to operate safely and scale ahead of the mandate
