As part of our regular member engagement, freight forwarder and customs brokers frequently highlight the challenge of explaining the ongoing escalation of port-related charges to their cargo-owning clients.

To support our freight forwarder and customs brokers members in managing this challenge, we are pleased to extend access to our upcoming webinar to their clients.

This is a valuable opportunity for cargo owners to hear directly from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the market failures impacting the container freight supply chain.

We encourage members to share this notice with their clients who may benefit from these insights. Places are limited and available on a first in basis.

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) provided extensive member feedback and data used as a part of the most recent ACCC Container Stevedoring Monitoring Report 2023-24

Importantly, the report highlights significant concerns around market failures in the container freight supply chain, including

• stevedores' landside pricing practices and rapidly rising charges,
• the growing burden of empty container park notification fees,
• concerns around weight misdeclaration penalties, and
• broader inefficiencies impacting competition and supply chain resilience.

Following the release of the report, we were encouraged by the ACCC media notice where Commissioner Anna Brakey made the following statements:

"It's been a difficult time for businesses dependent on the container freight supply chain, which in turn affects consumers and impacts the Australian economy through higher costs and shipping delays,"

"We have found there are likely market failures in the container freight supply chain which may warrant a policy or a regulatory response,".

As a part of our close working relationship with the competition regulator, we are delighted to announce that will host a live and interactive webinar with Commissioner Brakey and key ACCC executives. 

The Q&A session with Commissioner Brakey will be chaired by FTA Director and APSA Secretariat Paul Zalai, ensuring a robust discussion on the critical issues shaping Australia's container freight sector.

This is a unique opportunity to gain firsthand insights and engage directly on the critical issues shaping Australia's container freight sector.