OUR EXPANDING ALLIANCE

FTA / APSA - ADVOCACY

Inspector-General of Biosecurity Documentation - FTA meeting

On Tuesday 3 March, 2026 Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) met with the Inspector-General of Biosecurity (IGB) and senior representatives from the Office of the Inspector-General of Biosecurity to discuss current industry concerns and forthcoming review activity. 

During the meeting, the IGB confirmed that a formal review into documentation requirements supporting biosecurity assessment is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026. 

The discussion also canvassed a number of practical industry concerns that may be woven into the review framework, particularly where documentation complexity, interpretive inconsistency or system design issues create compliance exposure, operational delays or unnecessary cost. READ MORE

FTA / APSA - TRAINING

FTA ONLINE CPD TRAINING 

• Login via MYFTACPD HERE (your username starts with "FT")
• Click on your name at the top right-hand side of the page
• Click on 'Manage Account' (you can also change your password in this area)
• Click on 'FTA Attainment Statement'
• Select the CPD period
• Click download

MANDATORY ABF CPD MODULE

The Australian Border Force's Mandatory ABF CPD Module for the customs broker licensing period ending 31 March 2026 must be completed by 31 March 2026 via https://australianborderforce.birchlp.com.au
 
For ABF platform assistance please contact broker licensing directly on brokers.licensing@abf.gov.au

Note: You should download your ABF Certificate of Completion and keep as a record. This course will NOT appear on your FTA CPD Attainment Statement. This module will provide you with 3 CPD points in Stream B towards you required total of 30 CPD points for the period. Maximum 9 CPD points in Stream B should be completed on our MYFTACPD training platform.

FTA / APSA - OUT & ABOUT

MEDIA RELEASE: One small test for man: Curtains lift for new play on prostate cancer

FTA / APSA - IN THE MEDIA

DCN - National focus key to freight productivity, says FTA

Sky News Business Now - Middle East Tensions Drive Up Shipping Costs for Australian Trade

ABC News Breakfast - Middle East Supply Chain Impacts

Grain Central - Middle East conflict sparks slew of shipping charges

DCN - Middle East conflict: what does it mean for Australian shippers?

The Australian - Shipping lines have slapped surcharges on shipping containers

Courier Mail - Iran fallout: What the US war on Iran means for petrol prices, inflation and interest rates in Australia

ABC The World Today - Businesses brace for impact of war

FTA/APSA Global Shipping Insights

Join us for our sixth session as we break down the FTA Monthly Shipping Report – February 2026

Errors and Omissions - 2026 Risk & Resilience Webinar Series

Join James Cotis, Junnan Lai, and Karim Bizri for the second session of the 2026 Risk & Resilience Webinar Series, as they explore Errors and Omissions risks facing freight forwarders and supply chain operators.

FTA/APSA Global Shipping Insights

Join us for our seventh session as we break down the FTA Monthly Shipping Report – March 2026

FTA / APSA - UPCOMING EVENTS

2026 AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING & LOGISTICS CONFERENCE

WISTA Australia is a non-profit organisation established in 2011 for women within the shipping and trade sectors to promote networking and educational opportunities for female participants in these industries for the betterment of the Australian and international trade. 
 

2026 CARE-FACTOR INDUSTRY CHARITY TRADE BALL 

Notices:

LOGISTICS

Patrick Fisherman Islands - Terminal Shutdown
Thursday 5th March 2026 - TOMORROW

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) have received notice of a terminal shutdown at the Patrick Terminal Fisherman Islands. All ship and yard operations will cease between 0700 - 2300hrs on Thursday 5th March 2026.  READ MORE

Patrick Terminals strengthens support for rail importers and exporters at the Port of Melbourne

From 1 March 2026 for a period of 2 years, Patrick will waive the Exchange Transfer Charge for eligible containers moved by rail to and from Patrick PortRail Melbourne. This temporary concession arrangement is offered by Patrick to support customers' initial transition to PortRail. The concession applies to containers originating from or terminating at Somerton Intermodal Terminal, SCT Altona and Salta Dandenong. READ MORE

Warehouse and Depot Security Identification Card (WADSIC)

Veritas offers a comprehensive solution for customs depots and warehouse license holders to meet their WADSIC compliance obligations. By using a dedicated WADSIC portal, authorised representatives can effectively manage their personnel as prescribed in both ACN 2022/46 and ACN 2024/21.READ MORE

In the first Local Government Update of the year, see some key updates from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) along with commentary on the Introduction of the 2026 Master Code : elevating safety support across the heavy vehicle industry READ MORE

Port of Newcastle pushes a clean energy future

import terminal for renewable energy infrastructure and part of an integrated decarbonisation supply chain. READ MORE (story credit DCN)

Voluntary Port Performance Framework Quarterly Dashboard

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) has released the Quarter 4 2025 quarterly dashboard under the Voluntary Port Performance Model (VPPM).  The Voluntary Performance Monitoring Framework (VPMF) performance indicators were created in consultation with stevedores, transport operators, and the Port of Melbourne and are now available on the dashboard.

You can view the dashboard by visiting the Voluntary Performance Monitoring Framework webpage.

Vale – Hugh McMaster

We advise of the passing of Hugh McMaster, Treasurer/Secretary of the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) NSW from 2008 to 2021, who passed away peacefully on 19 February 2026, surrounded by his family.

As Treasurer/Secretary of ARTIO NSW, Hugh played a central role in establishing and growing the organisation, guiding its formal registration under NSW industrial law and building a credible membership base representing employers and principal contractors.READ MORE

Ports Australia and RightShip team up for safety focus

GLOBAL maritime safety organisation RightShip has joined Ports Australia, seeking to contribute in areas such as safety, sustainability and better use of data.

In a joint announcement, Ports Australia said RightShip would help ports via the use of intelligence and workflow management.READ MORE  

(story credit DCN)

Notices:

SEA FREIGHT

The Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) is the designated peak shipper body granted status by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport under Part X of the Consumer & Competition Act to represent the interests of Australian shippers generally in relation to liner cargo shipping services. The following notice has been received and is available to members' reference.

3.3.2026 : Part X: Notice of the Happening of an Affecting Event – NEAX/A1X/AUE/NAX inwards and outwards service

Notices:

AIR FREIGHT

Air cargo tackles backlogs as Middle East conflict capacity crunch continues

Airlines are continuing to face the impact of airspace closures, route suspensions and reduced air cargo capacity due to the latest Middle East conflict.

Air Cargo News (ACN) reported yesterday how flights were grounded on the weekend following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 and subsequent Iranian retaliation across the Middle East.

Air cargo supply chains immediately came under pressure with reduced cargo capacity due to limited flights and cargo delayed at airports.

Seko Logistics said in an update on 2 March: "Airlines have now extended service suspensions into March 4–8, with the possibility of further extensions pending regional de-escalation."

Emirates SkyCargo said it began operating a limited number of flights on 2 March and aims to tackle its cargo backlog, but there are still restrictions on new shipments.

.READ MORE (story credit Air Cargo News)

Please refer the Qantas Freight website for updates on operational matters. 

BIOSECURITY

Please click HERE to review the DAFF Biosecurity Report -  sponsored by FumeWest

AMIC calls for independent audit of DAFF expenses

THE Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) is calling for an independent audit amid spiralling agricultural export taxes being imposed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

 "DAFF is the exclusive provider of critical regulatory services that enable the sale of Australian meat to global markets. The cost of delivering these services has substantially outpaced inflation and an independent audit is warranted to determine how and why this has happened, and how it can be addressed without industry being used to foot the bill for the Government's inefficiencies." says AMIC Chief Executive Officer Tim Ryan - READ MORE (story credit beef central)

Notices:

TRADE

Trade Data Updates Week Ending 3rd March 2026

National ports, the Australian Bureau of statistics and data from other sources  

LOGIN REQUIRED

Notices:

Anti-Dumping Notices Data Updates Week Ending 3rd March 2026

FTA has compiled a list of Anti-Dumping Notices from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources 

BORDER

Approximately $75 million worth of ketamine stopped by ABF in first month of 2026

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers have started 2026 with a surge of ketamine detections, disrupting multiple attempts to smuggle approximately $75 million of the illicit substance into Australia.

Between 31 December 2025 and 31 January 2026, ABF officers across New South Wales and Victoria seized more than 438 kg of ketamine, with an estimated street value of approximately $75 million.

ABF officers from both the air cargo and international mail streams identified anomalies in dozens of consignments through their extensive detection capabilities – including x-ray technology, intelligence-led assessments, and officer-initiated inspections. READ MORE (story credit ABF newsroom)

Notices:

WEBINARS & RECORDINGS

Stay at the cutting edge through participation in live webinars and access to recordings – all are FREE & EXCLUSIVE to Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) members.     LOGIN REQUIRED 

Operational Support
For the timeliest response from our team, FTA / APSA members are reminded to send requests for operational support to support@FTAlliance.com.au

Training, Finance & Events Enquiries
For the timeliest response from our team, FTA / APSA members are reminded to send training, finance, events and general administration enquiries to Training@FTAlliance.com.au

To select your communication preferences please click on "Update Subscription Preferences" at the bottom of any FTA notice -  READ MORE

SPONSORS

FTA and APSA are proud to connect members with the following sponsors as leading suppliers of services to the freight and trade sectors.

Sponsorship prospectus is available HERE