Jim Wilson

Shipping Australia CEO, Capt. Melwyn Noronha sets out how Shipping Australia sees how a wide variety of issues. These include rising protectionism, Australian protectionism, the maritime economy, the geopolitical disaster that is the Red Sea, Australian trade, the MASS Code, biofouling, port performance, Marine Order 32, and more. Read the opinion piece here. 

Shipping Australia was dismayed when Federal Workforce Minister, the Hon Minister Tony Burke MP, basically dismissed or disregarded a viciously expensive industrial action. It ran from at least October 2023 to February 2024 when an agreement was eventually reached. Shipping Australia had repeatedly written to the Minister urging him to use his powers under the...

Australia has entered into the ‘enforcement’ phase of its new biofouling regulations for commercial ships. Biofouling in shipping is the buildup of plants, algae, and small animals on the wetted areas of a ship which includes the hull, around rope guards, inside sea chests, and other intake pipes and valves. The Biosecurity Amendment (Biofouling Management)...

Last week’s planned 48-hour strike (Sunday 25 August) at Fremantle Port did not go ahead, according to a note to industry from Fremantle Ports. Planned industrial action by Vessel Traffic Service Officers and Small Craft Masters that was due to start at 5:30 am last Sunday morning did not occur after notices to take action...

Notice has been given to Fremantle Ports that Vessel Traffic Services Officers and Small Craft Personnel will carry out a 48-hour strike from 05:30am on Sunday 25 August. The local harbour master has also issued instructions that effectively close Fremantle port because of bad weather. The port is likely to re-open in time for the...

Box rates & demand Spot market box freight rates continue to decline. We have just witnessed the fifth consecutive weekly decline in the average composite rate from its peak, which took place on 18 July at US$5,937 for a forty foot box. The composite rate now stands at US$5,319, according to the Drewry World Container...

Container terminal charges only add about 40 cents a week to average household expenditure, box terminal operator Patrick has declared. Citing research by Synergies Economic Consulting, Patrick adds that the operating margins of stevedores cannot be credibly said to be adding to cost-of-living pressures, which, Patrick argues, can be found in other areas such as...

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Future Made in Australia policies will likely lead to growing “behind-the-border” industry assistance, and a return to trade protection and industry policy carries risks, the Productivity Commission has warned. While discussing a range of industry-support policies in various statements associated with the most-recent release of the annual Trade and Assistance Review,...

Two simultaneous reviews into Australian shipping law have been launched by the Hon Catherine King MP, who is the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Under the microscope are the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 and the Shipping Registration Act. Coastal trading The Coastal Trading Act will be reviewed into...

Multi-purpose, project cargo, and heavy-lift operator AAL has added a new monthly Asia-Europe liner service  and a monthly Med / Middle East / India service to meet growing demand. Eike Muentz, General Manager of AAL Europe explained: “We have listened to the market and increased our … multipurpose services to support a plethora of customer...