CASE STUDY
Smarter shutdown strategy drives stronger business performance
Client: Bulk commodity port
Location: Queensland
Duration: Two Months
Context
Our client wanted to unlock additional capacity at its coal export terminal by optimising its shutdown strategy, without additional capital investment. It also needed to ensure the right capability, systems and governance were in place to successfully implement and sustain the change. Minset was engaged to assess the existing strategy, evaluate alternative approaches and provide the evidence and confidence needed to implement the best approach.
Approach
Minset deployed experienced senior specialists to work hand-in-hand with site teams, combining operational data, stakeholder engagement and strategy modelling to develop an evidence-based improvement program. The assessment confirmed a clear opportunity to reduce the number of major shutdown events, increasing plant availability, extending shutdown planning horizons and improving equipment reliability while strengthening overall operational performance.
Minset
- Structured the project into four phases to establish a baseline, validate current practices, evaluate alternative shutdown strategies and develop a practical implementation roadmap.
- Analysed data, conducted desktop reviews and engaged with more than 20 stakeholders across maintenance, engineering and support functions to understand current shutdown practices and planning challenges.
- Applied MinSTO, Minset’s proprietary shutdown maturity assessment tool, to benchmark current practices against recognised industry good practice and identify opportunities for improvement. The assessment considered the end-to-end shutdown lifecycle with a focus on strategy, systems, people and assets.
- Recommended transitioning to a six-weekly shutdown cycle, based on detailed modelling, with a future pathway to 12-weekly major shutdowns once systems, governance and organisational capability had matured.
- Recognised that the optimum shutdown strategy needed to balance maintenance requirements with broader business constraints, including production demand, shipping schedules, workforce and contractor availability, accommodation limitations, seasonal weather and supply chain risks.
Results
People
- Engaged 20+ stakeholders through a tailored, collaborative approach. This identified consistent themes used to validate key findings and ensured recommendations were practical, evidence-based, and aligned with the business’ objectives
Process
- Defined a formal Shutdown Management Operating System to improve work management and planning systems, and strengthen contractor management and governance
Physical
- Developed a practical Implementation Roadmap and provided a detailed suite of Improvement Charters to transition to the new shutdown strategy
- Introduced six new lead indicators to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation’s shutdown program
- Potentially reduce downtime by up to 31% using the optimised shutdown strategy
