As outlined in our member notice from 19 March 2026, Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese requesting financial relief and longer-term regulatory reform to support Australian exporters.
Adding weight to this advocacy, the article published in The Australian this morning highlights the growing disruption facing Australian exporters as the Middle East conflict impacts key trade lanes, with cargo stranded, diverted or delayed mid-transit.
Paul Zalai - Director FTA Secretariat APSA said
"Surcharges create an immediate cashflow shock, often resulting in budget overspend ... smaller exporters, particularly in agriculture and regional Australia, face escalating cashflow crises that threaten business continuity".
The article also highlights the compounding impact of "end-of-voyage" declarations, where cargo is discharged short of destination, leaving exporters to absorb recovery, storage and rehandling costs.
"Chilled and time-sensitive cargo is especially at risk, with shelf-life expiry leading to 100 per cent product loss in some cases… these costs risk undermining export competitiveness, regional employment, farmgate returns and broader supply-chain stability,"
From an industry perspective, Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan reinforced the scale of the disruption:
"It's a major market for Australian red meat ... and getting that into the region is particularly challenging at the moment."
From a broader supply chain perspective, FTA General Manager – Freight Policy & Operations Tom Jensen also noted the inevitable downstream impact:
"It's going to affect consumer prices"
With emergency surcharges reportedly exceeding USD $4,000 per container — in some cases applied mid-voyage — the commercial pressure on exporters is immediate.
FTA/APSA continues to advocate for practical, time-limited support measures alongside longer-term regulatory safeguards to better protect Australian trade in periods of global disruption. |