It is only a week since we last had to report on Typhoon Hinnamor casing havoc with shipping in China. Now another typhoon has prompted the ports of Shanghai and Ningbo to close – for the second time in 10 days – leaving freight forwarders expecting another round of shipping delays. Typhoon Muifa is on […]
This week, the Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farrell has been attending the first in-person ministerial meeting of the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). He and Ministers from 13 other partners across the Indo-Pacific have met in Los Angeles. The formal launch of negotiations on 09 September followed Australia’s decision to join IPEF […]
After all the supply chain difficulties and rising costs we have reported on over recent months, it is reassuring to see that authorities are taking note and promising some action. The Productivity Commission has released its Draft Report on its Inquiry into Australia’s Maritime Logistics Systems (see below), while the ABF is listening to suggestions […]
It may not have wreaked the havoc its ‘super typhoon’ status suggested, but Typhoon Hinnamnor still managed to cause some major chaos at ports and airports across the north of Asia. After bringing extensive flooding to coastal cities in South Korea, the storm headed northward and operations at the Ports of Ningbo, Shanghai, Yangshan, and […]
We note with alarm the latest news that record hauls of illegal drugs have been found in cargo comprising marble slabs, a vintage car and an industrial lathe. We have reported in the past on the increased efforts by Australian authorities to prevent drug smuggling and all the latest reports are of concern because they […]
Clients who rely on trading with China have had to navigate some rough seas lately. Despite trade restrictions on selected products, 35 to 40% of Australian exports go to China, and 20% of imports come from there. As China approaches its Mid-Autumn festival this month and the week-long Golden Week celebrations in October, renewed lockdowns […]
We have reported on several occasions about detention charges that are billed back to importers, by shipping lines, on containers that are not returned to their designated de-hire depots within a defined “grace period” after unpacking. As a result of the current container shortage, the ocean carriers are becoming stricter in their application of detention […]
Early last year we wrote about the government’s determination to stamp out the use of modern slavery to produce goods that are imported into Australia. This week, the ABC has reported on accusations filed against Australian company Ansell, and major US corporation Kimberly-Clark, that they “knowingly profited” off exploitation when contracting a factory in Malaysia […]
Image above: Queensland cotton being loaded into the hold of the SS Westmorland in 1921. (Credit: Cotton Australia). There are two major forms of shipping cargo: break-bulk and containerisation. Roughly 90% of all goods worldwide are shipped by sea and 70% of that is containerised cargo. However, as we have reported over the past year […]
Recently we reported on the latest jolt to the supply chain – the shortage of wooden pallets, which are crucial in the packaging, handling and storage of cargo around the nation. CHEP Australia and Loscam, the two major operators of the country’s shared ‘pallet pool,’ say the shortage is caused by their customers amassing a […]
