Jim Wilson

Once again it was an absolutely packed Christmas Luncheon venue for Shipping Australia’s New South Wales Luncheon! Held this year at the Hyatt Regency, it was a fun afternoon of catching up with industry friends, superb food and top-rated entertainment. NSW State Chair Bill Rizzi opened the event with an Acknowledgement of Country and then...

By the IMO. A set of amendments to key IMO treaties and Codes have entered into force on 1 January 2026. They include the following: Preventing and responding to bullying, harassment and sexual assault Amendments to the Seafarers’ Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code) aim to prevent and respond to violence and harassment in...

Australian Maritime College student Ajayraj Thangarajan Sakunthala has won the 2025 Shipping Australia Prize! Ajayraj, who is studying an MBA in Maritime Management – Maritime Logistics at the Australian Maritime College, was awarded the Shipping Australia-sponsored prize because of his demonstrated excellence and high achievement in his studies. He has received a cash prize and...

Qingdao Automated Container Terminal has reportedly begun using a vacuum-based automatic mooring terminal system, according to news media Port Technology. The system apparently was put into live commercial service on January 1, 2026 and was inaugurated by securing a 366m container ships with high-vacuum suction units that automatically atached to the side of the ship’s...

The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) entered into force on 17 January 2026. According to the IMO, which welcomed its entry into force, it brings into effect legally-binding rules for the...

The Port of Melbourne (PoM), together with the Intermodal Terminal Company (ITC), are inviting importers, shipping lines and freight forwarders to register their interest in a limited-volume start-up incentive program in which the PoM will offer $100 per TEU and $200 per FEU for import containers moved by rail from the port to ITC’s Melbourne...

Work began in mid-December on the $1.62 billion Beveridge Intermodal Precinct in the north of Melbourne, and at the southern end of the Inland Rail corridor, the Australian Commonwealth Government reported. The mid-December site-preparation works should pave the way for main construction to begin early this year. It is hoped that the open access Beveridge...

Port of Brisbane  and The University of Queensland (UQ) have agreed to support First Nations students. The Port of Brisbane Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarship Fund incorporates a $40,000 commitment from PBPL which is dollar-matched through UQ to maximise impact. Applications will be managed and assessed by UQ. From 2026, PBPL will support up...

Extended ABF border holds affecting sea freight have been reported by members of the IFCABAA. “While border holds are not new, members are reporting that the duration and volume of current holds fall outside normal operational expectations, with some shipments held for multiple weeks,” the IFCABAA explains. It adds that the holds are affecting importers...

Integrated logistics company A.P. Moller – Maersk has announced the appointment of Ditlev Blicher as the new Regional President for North America, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Blicher assumes the role after most recently serving as the company’s Regional President for Asia Pacific since 2023. Blicher joined Maersk in 2020 with global experience in operations and...