Vessel Planner

Sydney Terminal | Full-Time | 24/7 Rotating Roster

Remuneration range: $135K - $150K

Hutchison Ports Australia is seeking an experienced Vessel Planner to join our Sydney-based Planning team, supporting vessel and terminal operations across our Australian terminals.

This role is suited to someone with experience in vessel planning, yard planning, central planning, terminal control, shipping operations or container terminal environments who enjoys solving operational problems in real time.

As a Vessel Planner, you will help build safe, efficient and practical plans that support vessel turnaround, yard efficiency, crane productivity and customer requirements. You will work closely with Operations, Central Planning, shipping lines and internal stakeholders to ensure load and discharge plans are accurate, compliant and responsive to changing operational conditions.

This is not just a desk-based scheduling role. You will be part of a live 24/7 operational environment where planning decisions directly influence safety, productivity, vessel performance and terminal flow.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Preparing, reviewing and adjusting vessel load and discharge plans.
• Working with Central Planning, Operations and shipping lines to support safe and efficient vessel execution.
• Interpreting and coordinating planning data, including BAPLIE, EDI and terminal operating system information.
• Monitoring operational progress and making real-time adjustments to support productivity and minimise delays.
• Considering yard constraints, crane intensity, discharge sequence, stack weights, vessel stability and slot utilisation.
• Assessing cargo planning requirements, including dangerous goods, special cargo, breakbulk or other non-standard cargo where required.
• Supporting accurate operational documentation, reporting and billing information.
• Ensuring planning decisions align with WHS, statutory, regulatory and company requirements.

About You

You will bring a practical planning mindset, strong attention to detail and the ability to remain calm when priorities change.

We are open to candidates with experience across one or more of the following areas:

• Vessel planning
• Yard planning
• Central planning
• Container terminal planning
• Terminal control
• Port operations
• Shipping line operations with vessel, stowage, EDI or terminal interface exposure

You do not need to have worked in the exact same role title previously, but you will need to demonstrate relevant experience in operational planning, container terminal processes or vessel-related planning environments.

Skills And Experience

To be successful in this role, you will ideally bring:

• Experience in vessel, yard, central or terminal planning environments.
• Exposure to container terminal operations, vessel operations or shipping line planning.
• Experience using terminal operating systems or similar operational systems.
• Understanding of load and discharge planning, stowage principles, yard constraints and operational sequencing.
• Exposure to BAPLIE, EDI or vessel planning data would be highly regarded.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adjust plans in response to live operational changes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise effectively and meet tight deadlines.
• A strong safety and compliance mindset.
• Ability to work a 24/7 rotating roster, including nights and weekends.
• Great interpersonal skills, and the ability to work well with others.

Why Join Hutchison Ports Australia?

• Be part of one of Australia’s key supply chain and port operations environments.
• Work in a collaborative planning team with strong operational exposure.
• Develop your capability across vessel, yard and terminal planning.
• Enjoy a rotating roster that provides structured time away from work.
• Access on-site parking, employee benefits and wellbeing initiatives.

If you are an experienced planning professional looking to apply your skills in a fast-paced container terminal environment, we would like to hear from you.

Work Rights Requirement

Applicants must already hold current Australian working rights and be able to work full-time in Australia.

Hutchison Ports Australia is not offering visa sponsorship or international relocation support for this appointment.

Hutchison Ports Australia is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. We encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity.

Hutchison Ports Australia (HPA) is part of Hutchison Port Holdings, the world's leading port operator, with a global network of 48 ports across 25 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia.