Author: GPSM

Trucking Fuel Update:

As most people will be aware from news coverage over the past couple of weeks, diesel fuel prices are increasing almost on a daily basis.

GPSM recently increased our trucking fuel rates at the time the price for diesel was $ 1.65/litre, that price has now increased to +$ 2.00/litre in the last week mainly as a result of the war in Ukraine and the ban on Russian oil supplies.

As echoed by our interstate and local trucking partners, regrettably we are left with no alternative but to increase the fuel levy to a minimum of 20% effective immediately.

We hope the fuel price will remain steady and warn we may need to adjust the levy further is costs continue to escalate.

The new fuel levies will be adjusted to the GPSM rates page asap.

 

Global Trucking:

Our partners in Poland, Czech Republic, Western Europe and UK have all advised this week that inland trucking costs are due to increase in these countries as overall there is now a shortage of drivers as many drivers have returned to Ukraine and Poland.

Ukrainian drivers make up a large percentage of drivers throughout Europe/UK.

Diesel fuel costs across UK/Europe are also escalating quickly.

 

Empty Container De-Hire:

Just a reminder that GPSM require 48 hours’ notice from clients for collection of empty containers left on site.

We have seen many clients failing to advise when containers are empty that leads to a last day rush to de-hire the equipment before detention commences.

Please be aware that empty container parks do not extend hours and that we require time slots for re-delivery, obtaining same at the last minute is almost impossible.

Do not hesitate to contact our Transport Team if you need any further assistance on notifying us of empty equipment collections.

For the 2021-22 BMSB risk season, BMSB seasonal measures will apply to targeted goods manufactured in or shipped from target risk countries, that have been shipped between 1 September 2021 and 30 April 2022 (inclusive), and to vessels that berth, load, or transship from target risk countries within the same period.

Note: The shipped on board date, as indicated on the Ocean Bill of lading, is the date used to determine when goods have been shipped.

“Gate in” dates and times will not be accepted to determine when goods are shipped.

We continuously review the measures throughout the season and may make necessary adjustments based on detections of BMSB and changes in the risk pathways.

 

FREIGHT & TRADE ALLIANCE (FTA) / AUSTRALIAN PEAK SHIPPERS ASSOCIATION (APSA)   Who does this notice affect? Exporters, importers, customs brokers and freight forwarders

FTA / APSA MEET WITH THE ACCC ON INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPETITION

 

Opportunity for direct member engagement with our competition regulator

 

The spotlight is clearly centred on international shipping line practices by global competition regulators.

 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) today (3 March 2022) released their Compliance and Enforcement Priorities for 2022/23, importantly giving prominence to competition issues in global and domestic supply chains.

 

In parallel, during yesterday’s State of the Union presentation, US President Joe Biden made a specific reference to shipping line activity and inflationary pressures noting; ”about half a dozen or less foreign-owned companies raised prices by as much as 1,000 percent and made record profits.”.

 

The US President made a hard hitting commentary outlining the intent of investigations “I’m a capitalist, but capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism. Capitalism without competition is exploitation — it drives up profits.”

 

Putting all of this into context, Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) representatives met earlier today (3 March 2022) with executives from the ACCC to ascertain detail of their collaboration with the Canadian Competition Bureau; the US Department of Justice, the New Zealand Commerce Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority that aim to identify and prevent potentially anticompetitive conduct in the global supply and distribution of goods – the FTA/APSA media release in response to the announcement is available HERE.

 

Importantly, FTA / APSA shared a detailed quarterly report prepared by the Global Shippers Forum (GSF) and MDS Transmodal – refer HERE (FTA/APSA MEMBER LOGIN REQUIRED) demonstrating restricted shipping capacity continues to fall short of global demand.

 

The ACCC stated that they are very much in the preliminary stages of their investigations but took the opportunity to suggest that in addition to ongoing collaboration with FTA/APSA, there will be a need for direct engagement with members across import, export and international freight forwarding sectors.

 

Should you be interested in this level of participation and to make a positive contribution to the review, please contact Tony Vinson (Head of International Freight and Logistics – FTA/APSA) at [email protected]

 

Paul Zalai – Director FTA | Secretariat APSA | Director GSF

 

Copyright © 2022 Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) Pty Ltd, All rights reserved.

 

Updated Airport Arrival Charges:

From 1st March 2022, the Airline Document Fee will increase by $ 2.00 per shipment and the Airline Transfer Fee will also increase by $ 2.00 minimum and $ 0.02 per kg.

The updated rates will be added to the GPSM web portal as usual.

 

Brisbane Flood Situation:

Our Brisbane Trucking partner have advised that they have closed down operations today as a result of the current Brisbane flood situation.

Any containers and cargo held in their Hemmant and Yatala yards or warehouses are safe, they are keeping a close watch on the situation and will update us if circumstances change.

Many roads are closed in the Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast areas and many staff are off work today attending to their families and homes.

Our Transport Team will keep clients affected updated as more news comes to hand.

Patricks PONDUS Weighing Fees:

Partick’s Terminal in Brisbane port have for the past year been using the PONDUS weighing system to check-weigh import and export containers against the declared weights on import and export documentation.

Importers and exporters found to be under/over declaring weight by more than 1,000kgs have been receiving a “weight Amendment Fee” from the terminal, collected from the trucking company delivering or collecting the container.

The same system was expanded to Patrick’s Melbourne Terminal in October 2021 and has now been introduced into Patrick’s Sydney Terminal from early February, 2022 so we remind importers and exporters that it is extremely important that declare weights be accurate on all import/export documentation.

It is understood the fee will be around $ 250-00 to $ 260.00 +GST on any container found to be +/- 1,000kgs on the documented declared weight.

 

New China-Australia Service:

PIL Lines, Yang Ming Shipping, TS Lines and Sea Lead Shipping will introduce a new direct weekly service from China and Taiwan to Australia with first vessel sailing from Qingdao on 10th March, 2022.

Port rotation will be Qingdao –Shanghai – Shekou – Kaohsiung – Melbourne – Sydney – Brisbane – Qingdao and will be serviced by a fleet of six (6) 3,500 – 3,900 TUE (twenty foot equivalent unit) vessels.

It is hoped the addition of the new service with more capacity on the trade route may assist in seeing a reduction in costs from other carriers.

Svitzer Tugs – Protected Industrial Action – Update #1

In the latest industrial unrest and delays to beset the Australian waterfront, tug masters employed by Svitzer Australia (represented by the Australian Maritime Officers Union (AMOU)) are undertaking extensive Protected Industrial Action (PIA) across many ports in Australia.

From a container shipping perspective, these strike actions are impacting on vessel arrivals and departures in Port Botany, Brisbane and Fremantle. Thankfully, Melbourne has been spared (at this point in time).

The current notified PIAs in Australian container ports are:

Port Botany:

• 48-hour stoppage from 00:01 on 17 February to 00:01 on 19 February
• 48-hour stoppage from 00:01 on 22 to 00:01 on 24 February

 

Brisbane:

• 48-hour stoppage from 0600 on 17 February to 0600 on 19 February
• 72-hour stoppage from 0600 on 22 February to 0600 on 25 February

Fremantle:

• 48-hour stoppage from 0700 on 24 February to 0700 on 19 February
• 48-hour stoppage from 0700 on 3 March to 0700 on 5 March
• A ban on employees performing recall and relief work during a period of leave for an unlimited duration from 0700 on 18 February

 

As a result of these strike actions, berthing delays in the impacted ports will deteriorate even further from the current delays caused by significant vessel off-window arrivals, vessel bunching, COVID-related labour absenteeism in container terminals, and other factors.

Container terminals are already informing landside stakeholders of changes to scheduled vessel arrivals impacting on projected import container availability dates, and export receival timeframes.

Some shipping lines have also notified vessel port rotations to try to avoid the worst of the berthing delays.

While Melbourne hasn’t been targeted for strike actions yet, the rotation of some vessels to Melbourne ahead of Sydney (or Brisbane) will add further berthing pressures in Melbourne. It will also contribute further to Melbourne’s very congested landside container logistics chain where:

 

• Transport operators’ yards are well over-capacity
• COVID-related labour absenteeism in all sectors of the chain has contributed to logistics delays
• Container dwell times are increasing
• Major road works are extending truck travel times tremendously, leading to very negative impacts on truck productivity
• There are strains in managing empty container de-hires as well.

 

CTAA understands that Svitzer has applied to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for the Protected Industrial Action (PIA) to be suspended or terminated on economic grounds. A hearing on the matter in the FWC in Sydney is set down for 10m tomorrow (Friday, 18 February 2022).

The background to the dispute is that Svitzer has been negotiating with the three maritime unions with coverage in the tug sector on the terms of a new Enterprise Agreement (EA) since before the existing EA lapsed in 2019.

Then, in January this year, Svitzer applied to the FWC for the existing EA to be terminated, which if endorsed by the FWC would result in the pay and conditions of employees reverting to those contained in the Marine Towage Award 2020.

This dispute comes at a most inopportune time as the container shipping and associated landside logistics chain are under unprecedented strain. We hope that the Protected Industrial Action is either withdrawn, suspended or terminated, and that the parties continue at the negotiation table to reach agreement on new EA conditions.

Regards,

Neil Chambers, Director
Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA)

China has been selected as Emerging Country for BMSB

Increased BMSB Seals In Tact inspections for FCL/FCX containers being imported from China with below HS Codes

• Goods tariffed as Chapters 39, 68, 69, 70, 73, 84, 85 and 89.

 

 

 

Who does this notice affect? Importers, freight forwarders, customs brokers,

Addition of China to the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) Emerging Risk Country list

 

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) wish to advise that the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the department) has recently issued Import Industry Advice Notice 20-2022 advising of the Addition of China to the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) Emerging Risk Country list

Initial FTA/APSA enquiries indicate there will be no additional impost on industry as the department will vary current BMSB verification activities and redirect resources to conduct verifications on Chinese origin goods.

Its expected that no additional resources will be required by the department to conduct the new inspections and delays should therefore be minimized.

 

What has changed?

As a result of detections of live BMSB in some containerized commodities originating in China, the department will be adding China as an emerging risk country for the remainder of the 2021-22 BMSB season.

The increased random inspection activities will apply to the following goods:

• Goods manufactured in, or shipped from China and,
• FCL / FCX containers – for goods shipped in sealed 6 hard sided containers and,
• Goods tariffed as Chapters 39, 68, 69, 70, 73, 84, 85 and 89.

LCL / FAK containers and break bulk goods (including those shipped on flat rack or in open top containers) are out of scope for increased inspection activities.

In scope containers, as identified above, will be selected at random and will be directed for an ‘Inspection – Seals Intact Inspection’ at a Class 1.1, 1.3, 2.1 or 2.2 Approved Arrangement.

Further information

GPSM Customs Team and our Customer service Staff will be pleased to provide you with any further information required.

Copyright © 2022 Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) Pty Ltd, All rights reserved.

 

LCL Booking Fees:

LCL container depots in Australia are introducing Vehicle Booking Fees for all LCL shipments in a trend that started some 6 months ago.

Initially only a couple of facilities commenced charging this costs but now more and more operators around the country have introduced these new arrangements similar to port FCL timeslot Booking fees.

Due to our increased costs, which we have absorbed in the past, we have no alternative but to pass these costs on from 14th February, 2022.

The cost will be $ 20.00 per shipment and this cost will be added to our Communicator portal.

 

LCL Port Charges:

Our port charges on LCL shipments have remained in place for quite some time, despite several rate increases by shipping lines.

Our consolidation partners have advised that our agreed rates will now be increased by $ 5.00 per cbm/1000kgs effective from 14th February, 2022.

We regret the need to increase these costs but we have no alternative given all shipping lines again increased FCL port charges from 1st February, 2022.

The new cost of $ 95.00 per cbm/1000kgs is still one of the lowest in the market and will be added to our Communicator portal.