FTA / APSA - UPCOMING EVENTS

FTA / APSA - OUT & ABOUT

including Paula Guino and Christopher Morley (Austrade), Scott Russell (TIQ) , Mark Coleman (ICAL), Flora Zhang (Avocados Australia), Dalene Wray AM (OBE Organic) and Jakob Gajadhar (Icon Medipharm). It was also great to catch up with Annika Neill and Paula Guino, (pictured center and right respectively) who provided fantastic support for #ANZSLC2026.

is doing well albeit a little constrained at present with the weather patterns playing havoc with cargoes out of North Asia which will likely compound when they eventually hit transhipment ports such as HKG and SIN - thanks for the time Damian

Always valuable to hear directly from members about the opportunities and challenges facing their businesses.(L to R - Rhys, Kiera, Sal, Helen and Ashish)

Direct leverages local route expertise and real-time tracking technology to ensure time-sensitive deliveries arrive safely and on schedule. Our specialised service offerings include same-day courier and taxi truck services, refrigerated transport, secure handling of sensitive and high-value goods, linehaul transport, and home delivery solutions. SEE MORE

FTA / APSA - IN THE MEDIA

FTA / APSA - TRAINING

MARK YOUR DIARY
FOR OUR 2027 BORDER COMPLIANCE PROGRAM

Licensed customs brokers who attend the full program will earn 24 CPD points, providing a valuable opportunity to meet professional development requirements while gaining the latest insights into border and biosecurity compliance and industry best practice.

• Victoria – Friday 30 April & Saturday 1 May 2027 | Hyatt Place, Essendon Fields

• Western Australia – Saturday 15 May 2027 | Novotel Murray Street, Perth

• Queensland – Wednesday 26 May 2027 | Brisbane Airport Conference Centre

• New South Wales – Friday 18 June & Saturday 19 June 2027 | The Brighton Hotel

LOGISTICS

"Behind the Wheel, Beyond the Corporate Veil" – poor processes result in director and company liability after fatal bus crash

itself relates to buses, it is of general application to any transport company and is a reminder of the need for proper policies for the screening of employees and subcontractors to ensure compliance with the heavy vehicle national law. READ MORE

Government boost to freight resilience

AN INCENTIVE program to shift more freight onto rail and strengthen Australia's supply-chain resilience, alongside a refreshed Freight Industry Reference Panel to guide future policy and investment, has been launched by the federal government.

Designed to encourage more fuel-efficient freight movements, TRACK aims to reduce diesel consumption, ease road congestion, lift productivity and build greater resilience across national supply chains. READ MORE (story credit DCN)

Fremantle Bridge opening welcome but freight industry wants reform

THE NEW Fremantle traffic bridge will open ahead of schedule on 1 November, delivering long-awaited relief for freight operators who have spent two years navigating diversions, bottlenecks and unpredictable travel times around the Swan River Crossings project. For industry, the early opening is welcome and according to Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny, it reflects a growing capability within Main Roads to deliver major projects at pace"It had its bumps and disruptions, and things certainly could have been done better," he said. "A lot of credit's got to go to John Park from the Freight & Trade Alliance and Neil Chambers from the Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA)— they worked with industry to help mitigate things."

However, Mr Dumesny said one key opportunity was missed, "Very disappointed they didn't look at high-productivity vehicles off the port. It was an ideal opportunity to trial that. There's some good that's been built, but there are certainly things that could have been done better." 
READ MORE (story credit DCN)

Aurizon grows containerised freight business, opens Kewdale terminal

Australian rail freight company Aurizon has revealed a continued growth in its local containerised freight business, with the segment set to break even after only being created a few years ago.

The rail freight operator has also announced the opening of an approximately $60 million terminal in Kewdale, Perth. The new terminal, worth approximately $60 million, is designed to accommodate full-length, double-stacked interstate freight trains of up to 1.8 kilometres in length. READ MORE ( story credit ATN magazine)

New Queensland freight plan delivers rail, heavy vehicle initiatives

ALONGSIDE the federal government's announcement of plans to boost freight resilience, the Queensland government has released the Queensland Freight Delivery Plan 2026.

The plan provides a five-year roadmap to improve freight access, connectivity and resilience, with new initiatives including a Rail Freight Container Incentive Scheme, discounted diesel fuel access charges on the Mount Isa Line, and reforms to heavy-vehicle access arrangements. READ MORE (story credit DCN)

This month, we explore what the remarkable relocation of Mlimba the black rhino can teach us about proactive planning, stakeholder coordination and supply chain security; examine how organised criminal networks exploit human vulnerabilities within global supply chains; and consider how recurring drought conditions are creating new operational challenges for inland waterway transport, highlighting the growing importance of climate resilience and business continuity planning. READ MORE

How the Digital Customs Clearance Systems improve Supply Chain Resilience during Global Trade Disruptions? 

FTA have been asked by a student from the AMC | University of Tasmania to circulate a survey as part of his research to examine the limitations of traditional customs clearance procedures, and evaluate the role of digital and paperless customs systems in improving operational efficiency during recent the Strait of Hormuz disruption. Participation is voluntary, and further information, terms and conditions about the research is provided at the beginning of the survey.  COMPLETE SURVEY HERE

Annual Retired Customs Brokers Luncheon - SYDNEY

Thursday, 24^th September 2026 @ the Harbour View Hotel, 18 Lower Fort St,
Dawes Point -The Rocks 

Notices:

SEA FREIGHT

Latest VICT expansion gets underway

CIVIL works have officially begun for the Phase 3B expansion of Melbourne's Victoria International Container Terminal, described as "an important milestone in the continued development of the terminal and Victoria's port infrastructure".

The ground-breaking ceremony was led by VICT CEO Bruno Porchietto and attended by distinguished guests, including Philippine Consul General Jesus (Gary) R. S. Domingo , Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon and BildGroup CEO Matthew Dinnison.

This expansion includes the development of two additional automated container yard blocks, the deployment of four new Genma automated stacking cranes (ASCs), and one additional ZPMC neo-panamax ship-to-shore (STS) crane. READ MORE (story and picture credit DCN)

Notices:

AIR FREIGHT

Cathay announces key management appointments in Oceania

CATHAY has confirmed Aldric Chau as regional general manager for Southeast Asia and Oceania, while Richard Jones will take on the role of area head for Oceania, as the carrier looks to strengthen its passenger and cargo position across the region.

Recently appointed to the leadership roles, the pair will oversee commercial, operational and customer-facing functions across their respective portfolios, with Cathay positioning both appointments as part of its broader growth plans in Southeast Asia and Oceania. READ MORE (story credit DCN)

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

Notices:

BIOSECURITY

Please click  HERE for the DAFF Biosecurity Report -  sponsored by LogiHire

TRADE

Trade Data Updates Week Ending 15th September 2026

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

LOGIN REQUIRED

FTA have added the Xe exchange rate widget to the right sidebar on our FTAlliance.com.au home page, so members can easily convert using live rates provided by our affiliate partner in Xe.

It also has a link to the Xe/FTA landing page for members to create a free account with Xe.

Notices:

Anti-Dumping Notices Data Updates Week Ending 15th September 2026

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

BORDER

FIT Alliance eBL Survey

NCTF Co-Chair, Lachlan Smith has requested the following information be shared with industry:
 
ACCI's partners at the ICC Digital Standards Initiative are a member of the FIT Alliance (with BIMCO, DCSA, FIATA and Swift), and as such are contributing to the global eBL survey.
"FIT Alliance launches third global eBL survey. Building on previous studies conducted in 2022 and 2024, the 2026 survey will provide an updated picture of adoption trends, industry readiness and remaining barriers to implementation across international trade. The findings will support FIT Alliance's ongoing efforts to advance legal certainty, interoperability and standards alignment, helping accelerate the transition to digital trade at scale. Organisations across trade, transport and finance are encouraged to complete the survey and help shape the next phase of eBL adoption. Take the 2026 FIT Alliance eBL survey."

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