News

Excel Logistics would like to provide customers with an update on current developments affecting international freight forwarding, Australian ports, biosecurity & customs, and domestic transport. Although congestion has eased across parts of Asia and some global freight indices have softened, Australia-bound demand, carrier surcharges and rising landside costs continue to create uncertainty heading into the end-of-year period. We encourage you to review the information below and contact our team should you have any questions regarding your shipments, inventory planning, or transport requirements.

Australian imports rising, export volumes subdued, and vessel bunching

Australasia and Oceania container imports reached 452,042 TEU in September, compared with 425,023 TEU in August and 420,760 TEU in September 2025. Exports fell to 257,640 TEU, close to the lowest monthly level recorded during the past year. Far East-to-Australasia volumes increased 10.3% month on month, with rates on that trade rising 8.3%.

Australian ports are also experiencing vessel bunching, which is contributing to berthing delays and pressure on equipment and available shipping slots. Although congestion at major Chinese ports has improved, vessel timing remains uneven and global schedule reliability was recently only around 50%, with late vessels averaging 6.65 days behind schedule. Asia-to-Oceania container demand is reportedly up 26% year to date, meaning lower global indices may not translate into sustained reductions for Australian importers.

This strong inbound demand and port congestion may tighten equipment, delivery slots and terminal capacity as we are approaching Christmas, while weaker outbound volumes can create problems such as container-imbalance. Customers should act to secure space early, allow additional time for container availability, and keep quotations subject to surcharge changes.

Australian terminal and landside charges are set to rise in 2027

Proposed terminal-access charge increases for 2027 reportedly range from 4.5% to 38% across Australian terminals. DP World’s import storage fees are reported to be increasing by 19.4%, while new national landside-charge guidelines take effect on 1 January 2027. Hutchison Ports has also issued notice of landside and ancillary charge changes effective 4 January 2027.

Port Botany expands its large-vessel capability

Hutchison Ports Sydney has commissioned two new ship-to-shore cranes at Port Botany. The cranes can service vessels carrying more than 15,000 TEU and reach across vessels up to 23 containers wide, significantly above the approximately 9,000-TEU vessels presently serving Australian trades.

Excel welcomes this news as a positive longer-term infrastructure development. It strengthens Port Botany’s capacity to handle larger vessels and may provide carriers with more deployment flexibility as Australian container volumes grow.

Airfreight demand remains high

Global air-cargo demand increased 6% year on year during October while available capacity remained flat. Average spot rates reached approximately US$3.11 per kilogram, 29% higher than a year earlier, and the global cargo load factor increased to 63%. Asia-Pacific airfreight pricing is also reported to be materially higher year on year.

Sydney Airport’s temporary overnight curfew exemptions for freight aircraft ended on 1 November, which may further limit scheduling flexibility during peak periods.

Rail upgrades are targeting Sydney–Melbourne freight reliability

A coordinated maintenance shutdown covered 122 work sites across NSW and Victoria in early November as part of a nearly $2.8 billion network investment program. Previous work has reportedly reduced freight journey times on the corridor by 88 minutes during the past year, with further signalling and overtaking improvements planned.

Heavy-vehicle Chain of Responsibility remains important

The NHVR’s 2026 Master Code includes guidance that covers container imports, mass and dimensions, load restraint, and the responsibilities of loading and unloading premises. It describes 45 activities and more than 500 risk controls. Excel is NHVR accredited and is committed to delivering your cargo efficiently as well as safely. As part of that commitment, we are required to have accurate cargo weights that is distributed evenly within containers.

In Summary

Excel Logistics remains committed to keeping our customers informed and providing proactive solutions to minimise disruption wherever possible.

Thank you for your continued support and ongoing business. We look forward to assisting you with your logistics requirements.

Kind regards,

The Excel Logistics Team