We would like to inform our clients of ongoing disruptions affecting shipping schedules across Asia and Europe, which may result in delays to cargo movements over the coming weeks.

Asia (China–Australia & Transshipment Hubs)

Market conditions across Asia continue to deteriorate due to a growing imbalance between supply and demand:

• Blank sailings remain extensive across the China–Australia trade lane, with cancellations ongoing since April and continuing through May and into June.
• Available vessel capacity is steadily declining, while shipment demand remains strong, further intensifying pressure on space availability and schedules.
• Several scheduled sailings in late May and June have been cancelled across major services and ports, reducing overall frequency and reliability.

Additionally:

• Severe congestion at key transshipment hubs, including Singapore and Port Klang, is impacting operations.
• Carriers such as OOCL and PIL have reportedly rejected bookings due to this congestion.
• Certain services have been temporarily suspended as lines manage operational constraints at these ports.

These conditions are leading to:

• Increased lead times
• Limited space availability
• Greater risk of rolled cargo and schedule changes

Europe (Ocean & Inland Disruptions)

In Europe, both ocean and inland operations are being affected:

• Shipping lines, including MSC, are:
  • Adjusting departure and cut-off dates at short notice
  • Omitting ports from rotation to maintain schedule integrity
• Rail operations in Germany (Hamburg and Bremerhaven) are currently impacted by infrastructure upgrades:
  • Reduced track capacity is limiting inland connectivity
  • Rail services remain operational but with reduced flexibility and delays on key corridors

As a result, customers may experience:

• Longer inland transit times
• Less predictable rail schedules
• Potential congestion at North European gateways

We’d like to inform our clients that there are currently ongoing delays in border processing being experienced across several Australian ports. Some shipments are being held longer than usual, which may impact delivery timeframes.

The industry body (IFCBAA) has raised this issue with the Australian Border Force (ABF), who have acknowledged that processing times and late border holds are a key priority for them.

According to the ABF, these delays can occur for a number of reasons, including:

• Late changes made to import declarations
• Late referrals from partner government agencies
• High volumes and operational pressures at ports

The ABF has advised that they are continuing to focus resources on improving processing times and are working on both operational and system improvements to reduce delays, particularly where holds occur close to a vessel’s arrival.

What this means for you

• Some shipments may experience delays beyond normal expectations
• These delays are largely outside the control of customs brokers and logistics providers
• We will continue to monitor your consignments closely and keep you informed
  
  

If additional costs arise If extra costs are incurred due to these delays (e.g. storage or detention), these can be formally raised with the ABF through their feedback channels.

For urgent cargo clearance issues, there are also official escalation processes available, which we can assist with where applicable.

We understand the impact these delays can have and appreciate your patience while the ABF works to improve processing timeframes. If you have any questions about your specific shipment, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.

Deferral of GST when importing goods

Deferred GST scheme | Australian Taxation Office