Port of Melbourne Releases “Trade in Review” Report - Record Volumes Highlight Resilience Amid Global Volatility

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) are pleased to share that the Port of Melbourne has today released its inaugural Trade in Review report, providing a detailed assessment of trade performance for calendar year 2025 and early 2026 trends. Members are encouraged to take note of the findings, which reinforce the resilience of Australian supply chains despite ongoing global disruption.

The report confirms that Port of Melbourne handled a record 3.5 million TEU in 2025, marking a second consecutive year of record container throughput. This outcome comes against a backdrop of geopolitical tension, tariff uncertainty and softer global growth, demonstrating that trade flows have not stalled, but rather adapted to changing conditions. 


Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon and Matt Carrick, Secretary of the Department of Jobs Skills Industry and Regions

For importers and exporters, the data reinforces a key message: trade demand remains strong, but the operating environment continues to evolve. While global volatility is affecting shipping markets, the movement of goods through Australia's largest container port remains robust, supporting continued supply chain activity.

The report highlights that supply chains have adjusted rather than contracted, with continued demand sustaining both imports and exports. This aligns with broader industry observations that disruptions—whether geopolitical or policy-driven—are changing trade patterns rather than reducing overall trade volume. 

Exports remain resilient

Export volumes were underpinned by strong agricultural demand, with over 660,000 TEU of exports in 2025, primarily comprising food and agricultural products from south-east Australia. 

Southeast Asia has emerged as an increasingly important destination, now accounting for more than a quarter of container exports, while exports to the United States remain stable. This reflects ongoing opportunities for Australian exporters in key markets, particularly where tariff exposure remains comparatively favourable.

For exporters, this reinforces the importance of market diversification and the continued relevance of agricultural supply chains in driving trade volumes.

Imports indicate recovering domestic demand

On the import side, the report points to strengthening volumes of consumer goods, suggesting improving domestic demand conditions as inflation pressures ease and household incomes recover.

China remains the largest source of container imports, dominated by manufactured goods such as furniture and appliances, indicating a normalisation of consumer purchasing patterns following earlier disruptions. 

For importers, this supports the view that demand is stabilising, though still sensitive to broader economic conditions.



Early 2026 trend – continued growth

Importantly, the momentum has continued into 2026, with container trade increasing by more than 2% year-on-year in the first quarter, and April data showing growth approaching 7% compared to the previous year.

This suggests that, despite ongoing geopolitical disruption (including impacts on shipping routes and fuel availability), underlying trade demand remains positive.

Broader takeaways for industry

The Port of Melbourne's analysis reinforces several key themes relevant to FTA/APSA members:

• Global volatility (including tariffs and geopolitical risk) is reshaping trade flows, not reducing them
• Agricultural exports continue to underpin Australia's trade performance
• Import demand is recovering, supporting overall container volumes
• Supply chains are adapting, with increased diversification across markets and sourcing

The report also highlights the central role of Port of Melbourne, which handles more than one-third of the nation's container trade, reinforcing its importance to national supply chains and freight networks.

Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said, "Over the past 10 years we have seen record container volumes, $6 billion in annual economic contribution, $120 billion in total trade revenue, and nearly 20,000 jobs supported across Victoria. That's why we're backing critical freight and port infrastructure that will support trade growth, strengthen supply chains and keep Victoria's economy moving."

Mr Cannon said the combination of steady export performance and recovering imports positions trade as an important real-time indicator of economic activity.

Handling more than one-third of the nation's container trade, Port of Melbourne plays a central role in enabling this activity, connecting Victorian exporters to global markets and supporting the movement of goods across the economy.

Looking ahead

Looking forward, the Port emphasises that maintaining this level of performance will depend on continued investment, supply chain efficiency, and strong collaboration between industry and government.

Mr Cannon said maintaining this momentum would depend on continued investment and confidence across the trade ecosystem.

"Sustaining this performance will require disciplined, long-term investment and strong partnerships between government and industry. If we want to lock in this momentum, we need to ensure our supply chains remain efficient, competitive and capable of supporting future growth."

Mr Cannon added, "The key question now is how we maintain this trajectory if global conditions become more challenging. That's where certainty, investment and collaboration will be critical."

For members, this underscores the importance of ongoing engagement on issues such as infrastructure capacity, port performance, regulatory settings, and emerging global risks—particularly given the current climate of shifting trade policy and geopolitical uncertainty.
 

Tom Jensen - General Manager Freight Policy & Operations - FTA | APSA

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