Trade & logistics update for Australian importers and exporters | Covering 3–20 March 2026

Key Alerts

• Fuel surcharges: Domestic fuel surcharges are being monitored closely and updated every few days as fuel volatility continues.
• Emergency bunker surcharges (EBS): Shipping lines have implemented EBS across several trade lanes, contributing to higher overall freight costs.
• Service reliability: No carrier‑specific avoidance notices issued; delays remain port‑ and network‑driven, particularly via Asian transhipment hubs.
• Planning recommended: Ongoing disruption means forward planning and early engagement remain critical.

A quick reminder (before we dive in): Melbourne 3PL + linehaul

If you need steady storage, unpack/pack, palletisation, or time‑critical linehaul, VoxGroup’s 3PL and full linehaul capability out of Melbourne is available as part of our day‑to‑day logistics offering—helpful for routine freight flows and when schedules move unexpectedly.

Q&A: US–Middle East conflict — what does it mean for Australian importers?

Q1) Is the conflict still disrupting shipping lanes?
Yes. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has remained heavily constrained in March, with reporting indicating traffic has dropped sharply compared with pre‑conflict levels and only limited transits occurring.

Q2) What does that mean for sea freight into Australia?
The main flow‑on is network disruption: vessels rerouting, schedules slipping, and carriers managing capacity (including blank sailings) as they recover timetables. Cancelled sailings across major east–west corridors continue, adding uncertainty to space and ETAs.

Q3) Will this affect airfreight into Australia?
Yes—indirectly. With conflict‑driven rerouting and constraints through key Middle East hubs, market updates highlight a capacity squeeze and reduced uplift on some corridors, which can spill into Australia‑bound capacity (especially via Europe/Asia connections).

Q4) Are freight costs likely to rise?
Short answer: pressure is upward where disruption is greatest. Market indicators have shown week‑on‑week increases in early to mid‑March, and commentary indicates the conflict is supporting higher rates and adding volatility.

Q5) Should we be avoiding any specific carriers?
No formal “avoid carrier” notices were identified in the last week; what we’re seeing is port‑driven and network‑driven delay, impacting multiple shipping lines rather than isolated operators.

Welcome + what’s changed over the last two weeks

Hello and welcome. Over the last fortnight, the big shift has been disruption becoming more systemic: ongoing conflict effects, capacity management (blank sailings), and congestion at transhipment hubs have continued to ripple into Australia‑bound supply chains—showing up as later ETAs, rolled bookings, and higher “around‑the‑edges” costs.

Alongside that, we’ve seen heightened operational risk across border and biosecurity systems, including scheduled outages affecting common import and inspection workflows, and updates to treatment provider statuses that can change how goods are managed on arrival.

Australian port operations & rising wharf / transport costs

Australian ports remain operational, but delays and cost pressure continue to show up through landside constraints. In mid‑March congestion tracking, indicative delays were around Sydney ~3 days, Melbourne ~3, Brisbane ~3, Adelaide ~4, Fremantle ~1—meaningful when combined with receival windows, transport availability and container park constraints.

What this means for you:
Landside cost build‑up (storage, wharf‑related fees, transport surcharges) can become a major driver of total landed cost during weeks of inconsistent flow.

Fuel surcharges & cost impacts (important update)

We continue to  closely monitor , review and update domestic fuel surcharges every few days, reflecting ongoing volatility in global oil and diesel markets and the flow‑on impact to transport operating costs.

In parallel, a number of shipping lines have introduced emergency bunker surcharges (EBS) in response to fuel price movements and network disruption. These surcharges are contributing to higher overall freight costs, particularly on longer trade lanes and services reliant on transhipment hubs.

Industry bodies are actively engaging with carriers and regulators, providing feedback and advocating on behalf of industry in relation to the timing, transparency and scale of recent cost increases.

Transhipment delays: Singapore → Australia

Singapore remains a critical hub for Australia‑bound cargo. As of mid‑March, congestion tracking indicated around 1 day of delay at Singapore, and even small dwell increases can translate into missed feeder windows when mainline schedules are already disrupted.

What to expect:
More “lumpy” arrivals—containers missing one feeder and moving on the next—particularly for LCL and transhipment‑reliant FCL.

Space constraints & booking difficulty into Australia

Across March, carriers have continued to manage capacity through schedule recovery and blank sailings, which can make space feel tight on certain sailings even if overall capacity exists across the month. This is most noticeable on time‑sensitive cargo and on services that rely on transhipment connections.

Cost impact:
When bookings are rolled or routed via longer paths, shippers can see cost pressure from operational surcharges and longer equipment cycles. Recent market commentary also expects continued volatility as disruption persists.

Ports: global disruptions and what’s moving (week of mid‑March)

A late‑March congestion snapshot showed indicative delays (days) across key ports relevant to Australian supply chains: Felixstowe ~4, Los Angeles/Long Beach ~2, New York ~4, Shanghai ~1, Ningbo ~1, Shekou ~2, Hong Kong ~1, and Singapore ~1.

Takeaway:
Even where “headline” congestion isn’t extreme, the risk is variability—small delays cascade into missed berth windows, feeder cut‑offs and rolled containers.

Freight rate trends 

Based on March market reporting and indices, conditions are best described as follows:

• China / Hong Kong → Australia: Fluctuating
• USA West Coast → Australia: Generally stable
• USA East Coast → Australia: Stable to mildly fluctuating
• UK / Europe → Australia: Fluctuating
• LCL (all origins): More volatile than FCL

Rate outlook:
Mid‑March data indicates a strengthening trend in global indices and expectations of continued volatility while conflict disruption persists and carriers manage capacity.

Trade agreements & market access: what’s new

EU–Australia FTA talks:
Reports indicate negotiations are in the “final stretch”, with senior engagement continuing and a visit planned late March to progress the agreement. For exporters, key watchpoints remain market access settings (particularly agriculture), while for importers the opportunity is stronger certainty and simplified access in a major market.

Reminder:
If you’re claiming preferential tariff treatment, now is a good time to check origin evidence and ensure your documentation is ready before shipping, especially as compliance settings tighten during disruption periods.

Upcoming international holidays to plan around

• Ramadan / Eid period: May affect staffing hours in parts of the Middle East and some supplier markets
• Easter (Australia): Good Friday 3 April and Easter Monday 6 April
• Qingming Festival (China): 5 April 2026, with a typical public holiday window around 4–6 April

Operational reminder: demurrage and empty container planning

A quick but important reminder: container demurrage typically commences from container availability / discharge, not from customs clearance or delivery booking.

To minimise avoidable cost exposure:

• Advise early when cargo is approaching discharge
• Book empty returns early during busy weeks
• Factor weekends, public holidays, and slot constraints into return timing

Final note

With such an inconsistent and evolving global shipping landscape, and limited visibility around how offshore disruptions may continue to impact schedules, capacity, and transit times, we encourage you to reach out for guidance or support. The VoxGroup team is available to assist with planning, routing options, and risk considerations as conditions continue to change.

VoxGroup is a market‑leading international trade consultancy, customs and logistics company. For further information contact us on (02) 8036‑8450 or send us a message via www.voxgroup.com.au.

Please feel free to contact any of the VoxGroup team, including Rob, Mike or Rosalie.