Freight & Trade Alliance

Government launches inquiry into Australia’s over-stretched supply chains

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has announced an inquiry into the country’s over-stretched container supply chains.
Last week he told the Australian Industry Group global container shipping costs and congestion were at historically high levels, creating “flow-on effects” for domestic supply chains and consumers.
While he claimed Australian supply chains had proved “generally resilient” through the Covid-crisis, he said the “key focus” now was on ensuring the flow of goods from overseas...

https://theloadstar.com/government-launches-inquiry-into-australias-over-stretched-supply-chains/

Melbourne port strike suspended, while DP World ends lengthy dispute with union

The industrial action at Melbourne’s Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT) has been suspended.
And, in a rare double-header of good news for delay-hit Aussie shippers, DP World has finally ended its protracted dispute with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA).
The union began a strike at ICTSI’s VICT on Friday, but the Fair Work Commission (FWC) issued an interim-order suspending the action early Saturday morning.
The Container Transport Alliance of Australia (CTAA) said: “CTAA …

The...

https://theloadstar.com/melbourne-port-strike-suspended-while-dp-world-ends-lengthy-dispute-with-union/

Australian shipping operations – ‘they’ve never been in a worse state’

The ongoing “disarray” in Australia’s container supply chains will mean empty shelves for some retailers at Christmas.
Industrial action by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) against Patrick Terminals was suspended in early October – pending peace talks over a new pay deal – but supply chain delays from  previous MUA work stoppages are still playing out, two months later.
Shipping schedules were put out of whack, creating a backlog of “eight-to-ten” …

The post Australian shipping operations –...

https://theloadstar.com/australian-shipping-operations-theyve-never-been-in-a-worse-state/

As trade rebounds in Australia, war of words erupts over surcharges

Although trade with the Far East is booming, shipping line surcharges in Australia are “spiralling out of control” – and carriers blame port congestion.
Last week, Alphaliner highlighted a significant increase in cargo demand in Australia, coinciding with the country’s peak season.
“The rise is fuelled both by the Far East-Australia trade itself and by increased transhipment activity to and from other regions,” according to the analyst.
It said spot rates into Melbourne …

The post As trade...

https://theloadstar.com/as-trade-rebounds-in-australia-war-of-words-erupts-over-surcharges/

Cyber-attack victim CMA CGM struggling to restore booking, say customers

As CMA CGM’s IT engineers continue, for the fifth day, to try to restore its systems following a cyber-attack at the weekend, the French carrier has come under mounting criticism from customers that its back-up booking process is inadequate.
Yesterday, the carrier said its “back-offices [shared services centres] are gradually being reconnected to the network, thus improving bookings and documentation processing times”.
And it reiterated that bookings could still be made through …

The post Cyber-a...

https://theloadstar.com/cyber-attack-victim-cma-cgm-struggling-to-restore-booking-say-customers/

Importers ‘close to breaking point’ as tension rises at Sydney’s Port Botany

Other strike-hit container terminal operators and supply chain players are backing a DP World Australia bid to end the “crippling” industrial action at Sydney’s Port Botany.
Work stoppages by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) have caused an 11-day cargo backlog at the port, with a knock-on effect of container supply chain congestion spreading to Melbourne and Brisbane as vessels are diverted.
On Tuesday, DP World lodged an application with the Fair …

The post Importers ‘close to breaking...

https://theloadstar.com/importers-close-to-breaking-point-as-tension-rises-at-sydneys-port-botany/

Australia’s crisis-hit shipping industry now providing a ‘third-world’ service

Australia’s shipping industry is in “disarray”,  according to angry forwarders and transport operators.
They claim Sydney’s Port Botany is providing a “third-world” service, while importers are being “held to ransom” by shipping line surcharges.
The crisis in Australian docks escalated this week with more industrial action planned for Brisbane, crammed storage areas for empty containers closing and work stoppages in Sydney have combined with bad weather, both local and typhoons in Asia, leading...

https://theloadstar.com/australias-crisis-hit-shipping-industry-now-providing-a-third-world-service/

Fury at Australian ports as terminal operators impose sudden access fee hikes

Stevedores in Australia have implemented “staggering” increases to terminal access charges and road and rail operators are lobbying for their cancellation.
On Monday, Hutchison Ports increased the charge on all containers delivered to and from its Brisbane facility by 90% to A$94.78 (US$68).
And, from Saturday, ICTSI’s Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT) in Melbourne will impose a 7% increase to A$131.03 per container, still the most expensive national charge.
The move by Hutchison...

https://theloadstar.com/fury-at-australian-ports-as-terminal-operators-impose-sudden-access-fee-hikes/

Shipper relief as Australia’s plan for biosecurity levy is scrapped

Australian shippers breathed a sigh of relief today with the scrapping of the controversial plan for a biosecurity import levy.
The department of agriculture said the move followed industry consultation which suggested the levy “could not be implemented without significant regulatory impacts on industry and proposed levy payers.”
It added: “This decision has also been made in consideration of the ongoing impacts of drought, bushfires and Covid-19 on the Australian economy, and …

The post Shipper...

https://theloadstar.com/shipper-relief-as-australias-plan-for-biosecurity-levy-is-scrapped/

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