The DCN

ACTING TasPorts chief executive officer Captain Allan Gray has been appointed to the CEO position after the company searched for a replacement for Anthony Donald, who announced last December he …

GOVERNOR of New South Wales Margaret Beazley delivered a keynote address at the Mission to Seafarers Sydney Welfare luncheon on Friday (19 June), reflecting upon challenges experienced by mariners working …

THERE is a growing shift underway in China’s maritime policy settings that, while not yet widely understood, has the potential to significantly reshape risk allocation across global supply chains — …

THE DREWRY World Container Index (WCI), increased 12% to $3,969 per 40ft container, driven by growth in rates on the Transpacific and Asia to Europe trade routes. The composite index …

LOGISTICS giant Linfox is rolling out a fleet of heavy-duty electric trucks across Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide reducing diesel use, emissions and running costs on key freight routes. The company …

INDUSTRIAL unrest, the likes of which haven’t been seen in Western Australia’s Pilbara for more than 30 years has attracted a third union moving towards potential strike action. The Australian …

NEWS reports this week have expressed concern that the gradual ramp‑up of Guinea’s Simandou project is likely to impact iron ore exports from the Pilbara. A report in the West …

THIS week disappeared faster than MSC denying rumours it was buying Hapag-Lloyd. Let's start with the headline story, the signing of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding has eased concerns around …

A GRAND new logistics facility in the Sydney suburb of Banksmeadow has been hailed as an important step towards greater resilience in the Australian supply chain. The new facility has …

INDUSTRIAL action at Inpex’s Ichthys LNG project is to end tonight (Thursday) after workers endorsed an in principle agreement with the company. In a statement issued to media, the Offshore …

ANL will revise its APR2 China-PNG-Queensland service from early next month to increase schedule reliability and improve some key transits. The changes will see three ports dropped – Qingdao, Busan …

AAL SHIPPING has seen its fleet-wide Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI) improve by 19% since 2023 reflecting, it says, the benefits of modern vessel design, operational optimisation and continuous performance …

NORTH Queensland Bulk Ports is to invest $100,000 in 13 community projects across the region. The funding through the 2026–27 Community Fund is focused on youth engagement, mental health awareness, …

AUSTRALIA'S transportation sector is rapidly modernising, driven by growing consumer expectations, pressure to reduce operating costs, and ongoing labour shortages. What was once a gradual adoption of digital tools has …

GERMANY’s Hapag-Lloyd has moved closer to its commitment to reaching 100% usage of electronic bills of lading (eBL) by 2030 through a partnership with WiseTech Global. The partnership allows Hapag …

A COMMON user facility at Cairns designed to support vessels, including defence and government fleets, commercial shipping, superyachts and specialist operators is a step closer following a $387 million investment …

THE CAREER of one of the longest-serving Australian commercial coastal vessels has come to an end with the final voyage on Sunday [14 June] of AdBri’s limestone carrier Accolade II. …

THE VICTORIAN Government claims to be cutting costs and time for the state’s road freight sector with the introduction of technology for faster and cheaper infrastructure assessment. The new Heavy …

A SENIOR agriculture figure has been appointed to a short-term trade role promoting Australian goods internationally. Su McCluskey has been appointed by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) as its Australian …

THE FEDERAL government has secured three additional shipments of urea totalling 98,500 tonnes, according to a joint media release from agriculture minister Julie Collins, trade minister Don Farrell and industry …

A MORATORIUM ON live sheep exports by sea during the northern hemisphere summer, a shortage of sheep-carrying vessels and the protracted closure of the Strait of Hormuz have exacerbated the …

THE WORLD Bank Container Port Performance Index for 2025 has just been released and it is showing some interesting trends. For instance, our top performer, Bell Bay, with a total …

Delivering reliability has been a great challenge for operators around the world since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. DCN spoke with customs brokers and freight forwarders impacted …

DCN speaks with Maritime Industry Australia chief executive Angela Gillham about maritime careers, the West Australian southwest coast and which Australian she considers truly inspirational. How did you come to …

THE ARRANGEMENTS around the liability of each party involved in the movement of cargo by air are well established. One of the most famous aspects of this framework, the Warsaw …

TWO MEXICAN nationals have been charged over the alleged import of $185 million worth of methamphetamine in a shipping container brought into Sydney. An investigation began earlier this month after …

BLIND spots, fatigue and managing disruptions were some of the key topics discussed on the second morning of the Australasian Marine Pilotage Institute (AMPI) conference in Darwin. Andrew Baker from …

A MOBILE shiploader is opening doors to new clients at the Port of Esperance in Western Australia’s south. Locally owned and operated grain export business, Esperance Quality Grains has made …

PORT of Melbourne (PoM) achieved a second consecutive year of record container throughput in 2025, topping 3.5 million TEU despite global trade volatility. PoM today [16 June] released its inaugural …

TIGHTENING capacity, earlier peak season demand and rising rates are putting increasing pressure on air and ocean supply chains in the strong Asia Pacific region, according to two DHL air …

THE AMPI Regional Ports & Pilotage Conference got underway with a Sunday evening welcome event at Frangipani Plaza, Darwin Convention Centre. Guests and delegates networked over drinks, with entertainment including …

THE BALTIC Dry Index (BDI) continued trending downwards, finishing at 2729 points for 12 June 2026, down from 5 June's figure of 2981. Capesize The market endured a challenging week, …

A NEAR-grounding that could have blocked Port Hedland’s main shipping channel was caused by a faulty main engine switch on a Fortescue capesize bulker, the ATSB has found. In its …

THE WEST Australian state government is heralding the first export of locally produced Bravo apples to China. In a media release it said the initial 80 tonne consignment is set …

LESSONS from pilotage accidents and avoiding hazards were features of the first morning of the Australasian Marine Pilots Institute conference in Darwin. The AMPI Regional Ports & Pilotage Conference is …

WHILE China-Australia container rates again rose for Week 24 — this time by another 6% — South East Asia freights also lifted by 6%, after literally months in the doldrums. …

WESTERN Australia’s five port authorities will combine to offer start-ups an opportunity to pitch ideas for port safety, efficiency and security. The opportunity will be part of this year’s West …

AUSTRALIA’S export engine room is facing simultaneous industrial disputes, with strikes at Inpex’s Ichthys LNG project continuing after a Fair Work Commission ruling, and BHP workers at Port Hedland voting …

SEVEN Pacific Island nations have joined forces to overhaul domestic shipping across Oceania. The Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership (PBSP) has been created by ministers from Fiji, the Federated States of …

TRADITIONALLY, the Federal Government releases its federal budget for the forthcoming financial year in May each year. It is a “whole of Government” document which includes a “report card” on …

THE DREWRY World Container Index (WCI), the benchmark widely referenced by procurement teams, increased 3% to $3,549 per 40ft container due to rate increases on the Transpacific and Asia–Europe trade …

A $2.5m investment in upgraded training facilities at TAFE NSW Wetherill Park by the government of New South Wales has been welcomed by the Australian Logistics Council. The money is …

NORTHERN Australia specialist Sea Swift has given the ACCC a court-enforceable undertaking after the Commission found elements of shipper contracts were anti-competitive. The ACCC was concerned elements of Sea Swift’s …

KOOLAN Island off the Kimberley coast of WA is set to become a logistics hub catering for offshore industry following the purchase of MGX Resources iron ore operation by Crestlink. …

WORKERS at BHP’s Port Hedland operations have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action, setting the scene for disruption at Australia’s most important bulk export gateway. Media outlets The West Australian …

RIO TINTO has quietly sold two of its 'owned' Newcastlemax bulk carriers, marking a rare adjustment to the mining giant’s tightly held marine fleet and prompting speculation about a broader …

CIVIL works for electric vehicle transport company NewVolt's first site in Melbourne's Laverton North are set to start in about a month. It will be Australia's first open access electric …

I AM still trying to decide what was more unexpected this week: four mullets in a five person checkout queue at my local Coles, or the speed at which freight …

BELL Bay in northern Tasmania has again been deemed Australia’s leading container terminal, in a report from the World Bank that seemingly places much value on export and transhipment. The …

THIS month, I want to focus on a topic that has been raised repeatedly in industry discussions and that several stakeholders have specifically asked me to investigate more deeply. These …