Australia has strong historical ties with the United Kingdom, and trade between the two countries has strengthened even more since our bilateral Free Trade Agreement entered into force in 2023.
The founders of Colless Young established connections with the UK shipping industry a half-century ago, and today we continue to provide a full range of logistics services to and from all UK ports and airports. This includes FCLs at competitive rates with the major containership lines, as well as our economical LCL service via Singapore.
The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) eliminates tariffs on over 99% of goods traded between the two nations, including agriculture, wine, and manufactured products. This applies in both directions and Australian goods also benefit from duty-free access to the UK market.
The United Kingdom is our 11th largest two-way trading partner – being our 12th largest export destination and our 9th largest source of imports. The total two-way trade reached AUD36bn (GBP23bn) in 2024, with benefits seen in increased savings and new opportunities for businesses and consumers.
According to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), in June 2025 the United Kingdom exported £362M and imported £1.51B from Australia, resulting in their negative trade balance of £1.15B.
Also in June 2025, the top exports of UK to Australia were Gas Turbines (£43.7M), Cars (£32.1M), and Packaged Medicaments (£31.9M). In the same month, the main imports of United Kingdom from Australia were Gold (£1.35B), Raw Lead (£31.3M), and Orthopaedic Appliances (£23.2M).
While Australia’s attempts to conclude negotiations for an FTA with the European Union (EU) have stalled again, our relationship with the UK is healthy and growing. In post-Brexit UK – and in the wake of the USA’s new tariff regime – they seem to appreciate the stability and economy of dealing with Australia.
We do have to be mindful of shipping congestion in that part of the world, mainly stemming from European port calls, and the ongoing effects of the Red Sea Crisis. For these reasons we liaise with you to dovetail your commitments and timetables with the schedules of container shipping lines. Whether you move your cargo by FCL or LCL, we select the shipping service that suits your budget and time-frame.
Australia welcomed the United Kingdom’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in July 2023. This enhances the UK’s economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific and supports our shared interest in promoting regional prosperity.
Australia and the UK cooperate extensively in a range of international economic forums, including the World Trade Organization, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the G20.
Our two nations are also cooperating to strengthen supply chains and our economies more broadly, including under the Australia-UK Joint Supply Chain Resilience Initiative.
If you are conducting import or export business with the UK, by air or sea, contact us here at Colless Young to find out more about shipping schedules and rates. Talk to Andrew, Tel: +61 7 3890 0800 email enq@collessyoung.com.au .
