News

Greater Access for Exports to Thailand

For the benefit of those who missed the release by Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) over the Christmas break, they have posted on LinkedIn today about exports to Thailand – and wine in particular. The post advises: “Did you know that over the past three years, the value of Australia’s wine exports to […]

Another Cyclone for Port of Townsville

If you have cargo to be imported or exported through Townsville this week, you should anticipate disruptions and delays. Both the port and airport are expected to be impacted by Cyclone Kirrily, which is forecast to be on a direct course for the city bringing dangerous winds, possible flooding and life threatening conditions. The Bureau […]

Maersk & Hapag-Lloyd in new ‘Gemini’ Deal

This time last year containership giants Maersk and MSC announced their intention to break up their 2M Alliance, and now Maersk have forged a new operational cooperation deal with Hapag-Lloyd. The industry titans have signed an agreement for a new long-term operational collaboration called ”Gemini Cooperation”, which will start in February 2025. [See our post […]

How Supply Chain Crises Affects Pallets

While there has been focus on the number of shipping containers being caught up on the other side of the world due to the crisis around the Red Sea and Suez Canal, the situation is certainly not helping the ongoing shortage of wooden pallets. Other geopolitical tensions such as the war in Ukraine and disputes […]

Work Has All But Stopped at DP World

The day began today with stevedore workers at DP World’s (DPW’s) Melbourne and Sydney container terminals refusing to work the morning shifts. This is the reaction of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) to DPW’s stated position that they would no longer tolerate partial work bans from today. Now, work has all but stopped at […]

The Red Sea – Shippers Need a Plan B

Attacks on commercial cargo ships by the Houthi rebels around the Red Sea, as well as the return of piracy off the coast of Somalia, are causing concern for traders everywhere, especially with Chinese New Year holidays only weeks away. There is no clear leadership or agreement on how to tackle the crisis. Australian traders […]

Container Terminal Challenges as 2024 Starts

News from both Patrick and DP World this week has been all about delays and price increases. Additionally, Brisbane container terminals are recovering from the impact of the Christmas / New Year storms. Patrick Terminal Brisbane was able to recover some fallen containers last week within a 24-to-48-hour period and were operational again from 2200 […]

India Trade in 2024: from ECTA to CECA

The Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between Australia and India has now been in force for a year. Negotiations have resumed for the more ambitious Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which will build upon ECTA outcomes to capitalise on the potential for closer economic ties between Australia and India. From 01 January 2024, Australian […]

An Australian-Flagged Fleet of Ships

In November, the government released a very important document for Australia’s maritime security. The final report of the Strategic Fleet taskforce was handed to government in June, with a public version along with the government response now online. The taskforce was established as part of a Labor election commitment, with the mission of advising government […]

Global Digital Trade Rules

Following the final negotiating round for the year on 20 December 2023, at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Members of the ‘WTO Joint Statement Initiative on Electronic Commerce’ (JSI) have reached substantial conclusions on a number of global digital trade rules. Digital trade is not just about buying and selling goods and services […]