Landside Logistics
Fuel surcharge pressure
Elevated diesel prices continued to put pressure on Australian transport costs during October, prompting fuel surcharge reviews across the industry. Fuel-related adjustments remain an important consideration in domestic transport pricing and supply chain planning.
Rail and intermodal connectivity
Melbourne’s growing intermodal network is creating opportunities for more sustainable and efficient freight movements. Working with industry partners such as ITC, Harders continues to increase the use of rail-linked services and inland terminal connections to support capacity, flexibility and supply chain resilience.
Container terminal congestion
Congestion at Australian container terminals, including DP World Brisbane, highlighted continuing pressure on landside operations during October. Vessel bunching and elevated inbound and outbound volumes affected terminal operations, reinforcing the importance of proactive transport planning and flexibility.
Greater transparency for landside charges
New National Voluntary Guidelines for Landside Stevedore and Empty Container Park Charges were released in October. The voluntary framework aims to improve transparency and consistency when charges are introduced, giving businesses greater visibility of cost drivers and supporting more predictable costs across the container supply chain.
Port of Melbourne capacity expansion
Industry consultation continued during October on the Port of Melbourne Capacity Expansion Program. The long-term initiative is designed to support Victoria’s future container trade growth and expand terminal capacity at Webb Dock.
Western Sydney International Airport
October marked the official opening of Western Sydney International Airport. The 24-hour facility is expected to strengthen freight connectivity, support faster cargo movements and create opportunities for integrated transport and distribution networks across the east coast.
Sea Freight Update
Christmas inventory replenishment, Black Friday promotions and sustained consumer demand are supporting strong cargo volumes across key Oceania trade lanes. Capacity constraints, weather events and schedule disruption continue to affect shipment planning.
Early booking remains important, with lead times of at least two to three weeks. Some delays may be unavoidable despite advance planning.
Northeast Asia to Oceania
- Demand and space: Demand remains strong following Golden Week, with high vessel utilisation and limited space through late October and early November. Capacity remains particularly tight from North China and Qingdao.
- Rates: Mid-October rate increases were largely unsuccessful as additional capacity entered the market. Carriers have announced further increases for November. The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index for China to Australia and New Zealand reached its highest level of the year during October.
- Port conditions: Congestion at Shanghai and Ningbo eased during October, although dredging at Ningbo’s MSICT terminal may continue to cause intermittent delays. The storm-related disruption outlined below adds further uncertainty.
- Schedules and capacity: Vessel delays continue to affect Australian and New Zealand arrivals. Additional sailings and larger vessels are being deployed to meet demand, while typhoon activity remains an operational risk.
Southeast Asia to Oceania
- Demand and rates: Demand remains exceptionally strong, with high vessel utilisation extending well into November. Incremental rate increases are bringing market levels closer to those on China–Oceania trades.
- Export volumes: Manufacturing growth across India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia continues to support exports.
- Capacity: Space remains tight despite network enhancements and additional vessel deployments.
- Transit times: Singapore congestion is affecting some services, with delays of two to three weeks reported on selected networks. Reliability remains mixed, although some carrier services have improved.
- Outlook: Conditions show little sign of easing before year-end.
Europe and the Mediterranean to Oceania
- Demand: Pre-Christmas demand continues to support stable market conditions despite additional capacity entering the trade.
- Routing: Suez Canal transits have resumed on selected services, improving routing options and transit times on some corridors.
- Service changes: Winter adjustments are changing port coverage and relay arrangements. Terminal construction in Rotterdam continues to affect cargo, with some shipments redirected via Antwerp.
- Western Australia: Capacity remains tighter than for East Coast Australia and New Zealand, particularly for cargo transhipping through Asia.
- Reliability: Improving conditions at Asian transhipment hubs have helped cargo flows, although schedule changes continue to affect transit times.
Outlook and booking priorities
Asia–Oceania and Europe–Oceania trades are expected to remain active through the rest of the fourth quarter. Seasonal demand, variable schedules and selective capacity constraints are likely to support current market levels through November.
Chinese New Year in early February 2027 is expected to bring cargo movements forward into January. Carriers are expected to continue managing capacity closely and may seek further rate increases as the market moves into 2027.
Book early and discuss space availability with your Key Account Manager, particularly where shipment timing is critical. Weather disruption and port congestion remain risks across several regions.
East China Disruption
Typhoon Champi and advised closure windows
The 23 October operational update reported disruption across Taiwan, Shanghai and Ningbo associated with Typhoon Champi. The advised port closure windows were:
- Ningbo: Friday evening, 23 October, to midday Sunday, 25 October.
- Shanghai: Saturday evening, 24 October, to midday Sunday, 25 October.
The update also reported suspended pilotage services in the Yangtze River estuary, affecting vessel movements and feeder services into Shanghai. Air freight operations across Taiwan and East China were experiencing cancellations and delays, with capacity expected to remain tight as carriers cleared backlogs.
[Confirm current port reopening, pilotage and air freight status before publication.]
Potential shipment impacts
The closures were expected to place further pressure on vessel schedules and terminal operations. Affected shipments may face:
- Delayed vessel departures and arrivals.
- Rolled bookings and revised schedules.
- Increased congestion after ports reopen.
- Longer transit times on Asia–Australia services.
- Air freight delays and reduced capacity.
Experience from recent typhoon events suggests operations could take one to two weeks to stabilise after reopening. This is an estimate, rather than a confirmed recovery timetable.
How Harders is supporting clients
Our teams are monitoring developments and working with carriers, overseas partners and terminal operators to minimise disruption. We are securing space where possible, identifying alternatives for urgent cargo and communicating shipment updates to affected clients.
If your cargo is moving through Shanghai or Ningbo, provide cargo-ready dates early and flag time-critical freight so we can prioritise accordingly. Contact your Harders representative to discuss contingency options for urgent shipments.