The average cost of a standard 40-foot (12.1m) shipping container has already risen almost 15 per cent since the outbreak of hostilities. While the June quarter is typically a quieter time for container users and container prices usually plateau, there could be a significant price rise into August as exporters scramble for containers to prepare for the Christmas rush, the Freight and Trade Alliance (FTA) said.

"Generally what happens is the June quarter is one of the quietest parts of the year but as you head into the second half of the year that's when rates really start ramping up as there is typically more demand going into Christmas from that point on," FTA policy operations boss Tom Jensen said.

According to the FTA, Australian shipping schedules have recorded 19 blank sailings out of 159 planned departures, representing an 11.9 per cent cancellation rate. This marks a notable increase on the Lunar New Year period, when blank sailings were running at just under 9.5 per cent, the organisation said.

The Australian - Shipping container users brace for price and supply pain