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Dear Valued Clients & Partners,

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) have received a number of member enquiries expressing concern at Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) stop-work notices announced at terminals other than DP World.

The announcements have no direct link to the protected industrial action between the MUA and DP World, but instead members of the MUA have authorised stop-work to allow attendance of its members to their Annual General Meeting (AGM) being held on Tuesday 28 November. Most major terminals around the country will be impacted as a result.

Following are announcements to date:

DP World
Melbourne    - TBC
Brisbane       - Terminal will be closed Tuesday 28 November between 0700-1100hrs
Sydney         - Terminal will be closed Tuesday 28 November between 1000-1400hrs
Fremantle     - TBC

Patrick
Melbourne   - Terminal will be closed Tuesday 28 November between 1000-1400hrs
Brisbane      - TBC
Sydney        - TBC
Fremantle    - TBC

Hutchison Ports
Sydney        - Terminal will be closed Tuesday 28 November between 1000-1400hrs
Brisbane      - TBC

Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT)
Melbourne    - VICT will cease road operations during 1000 to 1400 Tuesday 28 November 2023.
* Nb. VICT will also be performing a critical systems outage on Saturday 25 November from 0600. Landside Operations will cease during this time and resume Sunday 26 November at 0600.

Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal
Adelaide      - 4 Hour Stop Work Meeting - Tuesday 28th. No VBS slots past 0900hrs. All operations will recommence from 1400hrs.

Remaining terminals yet to announce stoppage times for Tuesday 28 November are expected to make similar announcements in due course, therefore members are encouraged to plan accordingly and liaise with their transport providers.

For the latest on the protected industrial action by the MUA at DP World terminals, please refer to dates and times as per the full list of protected industrial action.

Please click here for more detail on MUA’s decisions to withdraw and defer upcoming PIAs in Brisbane and Sydney respectively plus comments on the impact from the broader PIA program on shipping schedules.

Transport companies have communicated that in some cases, surcharges for containers arriving into DP World terminals will be applicable. Also, surcharges for weekends and/or after-hours collections will be applied as they strive to retrieve containers within their allotted free time.

The ongoing outages, bans, and stoppages across Australian Terminals persistently affect our services, and we value your understanding and flexibility during this time. Our team remains dedicated to reducing disruptions and ensuring optimal operational continuity. We will provide regular updates on any additional developments. Thank you for your continued cooperation.

We acknowledge the potential impact of these disruptions; however, please be advised that SILA will not assume liability for any additional charges arising from these actions.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership and should you have any questions or concerns, kindly reach out to our dedicated team! 

SILA Imports - imports@sila.net.au
SILA Exports - exports@sila.net.au
SILA Sales - sales@sila.net.au
T: (+61) 07 3908 1690

SILA Global Pty Ltd

Dear Valued Clients & Partners,

We would like to inform you of upcoming events that may impact our services:

VICT System Outage:

• Date and Time: Saturday, 25th November, from 0600 to Sunday, 26th November, 0600
• Details: VICT will be conducting a critical systems outage during this period. Landside Operations will cease and resume as of Sunday, 26th November at 0600. Please note that EDI messaging, including OneStop, should not be utilised during the outage.

DPWA Stop Work Meeting:

• Date and Time: Tuesday, 28th November 2023
• Locations and Schedule:
  • DP World Brisbane: 7 am – 11 am
  • DP World Sydney: 10 am – 2 pm
  • DP World Melbourne: 10 am – 2 pm
  • DP World Fremantle: 9 am – 1 pm
• Impact: All DPWA terminal operations will cease during these periods due to an authorized four-hour MUA stop work meeting.

Despite these recovery efforts, transport companies have communicated that in some cases, surcharges for containers arriving into DP World terminals will be applicable. Also, surcharges for weekends and/or after-hours collections will be applied as they strive to retrieve containers within their allotted free time.

The ongoing outages, bans, and stoppages persistently affect our services, and we value your understanding and flexibility during this time. Our team remains dedicated to reducing disruptions and ensuring optimal operational continuity. We will provide regular updates on any additional developments. Thank you for your continued cooperation.

We acknowledge the potential impact of these disruptions; however, please be advised that SILA will not assume liability for any additional charges arising from these actions.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership and should you have any questions or concerns, kindly reach out to our dedicated team! 

SILA Imports - imports@sila.net.au
SILA Exports - exports@sila.net.au
SILA Sales - sales@sila.net.au
T: (+61) 07 3908 1690

SILA Global Pty Ltd

Dear Valued Customers & Partners,

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) have been in contact with DP World senior management in order to update members on the latest on the protected industrial action continuing around the DP World terminals nationally.

DP World today have announced another update in that members of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU, MUA Division) have, despite continued efforts to reach an understanding, outlined a further series of work bans and stoppages up to and including Monday 4 December.

Read the full media statement HERE

Full list of upcoming protected industrial action HERE

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) have been maintaining close engagement with DP World in regard to recovery, and with the Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA) to ascertain operational impacts from a transport operator’s perspective as DP World continue to recover from their recent cyber incident and management of ongoing Protected Industrial Action. To that end, we refer to an update produced by CTAA last week addressing the significant national landside delays and costs; announcement of DP World changed roster arrangements; and calls for Federal Industrial Relations Minister intervention to terminate industrial action - refer HERE.

In terms of recovery, DP World has informed FTA / APSA that of the ~30,000 containers impacted by the cyber incident, as of last week DP World has since successfully moved 14,265 containers of the total. Significant strides were made last week with over 6,000 containers moved on Thursday alone by road and rail following a day of significant impacts due to protected industrial action.

Read the full notice HERE.

Despite these recovery efforts, transport companies have communicated that in some cases, surcharges for containers arriving into DP World terminals will be applicable. Also, surcharges for weekends and/or after-hours collections will be applied as they strive to retrieve containers within their allotted free time.

These bans & stoppages continue to significantly impact our services, and we appreciate your understanding and flexibility during this period. Our team is committed to minimising disruptions and ensuring the smoothest operations possible. We will keep you updated on any further developments.

We acknowledge the potential impact of these disruptions; however, please be advised that SILA will not assume liability for any additional charges arising from these industrial actions.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership and should you have any questions or concerns, kindly reach out to our dedicated team! 

SILA Imports - imports@sila.net.au
SILA Exports - exports@sila.net.au
SILA Sales - sales@sila.net.au
T: (+61) 07 3908 1690

SILA Global Pty Ltd

Greetings from SILA Global!

As we navigate the final months of 2023, it's crucial to keep ahead of the latest developments shaping the global shipping and logistics landscape. At SILA, we are dedicated to keeping you well-informed and offering expert solutions to navigate these dynamic shifts in the shipping and logistics industry.

A General Overview of the Shipping Industry

The shipping industry is anticipating an increase in the number of idle container ships during the upcoming winter season. This shift is due to ocean carriers transitioning from their previous strategies of canceling and rescheduling trips to a more widespread practice of temporarily laying up surplus ships. Carriers are adopting longer-term "winter schedules" as a more effective method for managing their capacity, as opposed to seemingly random trip cancellations. This approach allows carriers to adjust their networks and temporarily deactivate ships that are not currently needed.

Even during periods of high demand, managing the constant influx of new, ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) has been challenging for ocean carrier ship managers. However, the prospect of a weaker-than-normal slow season in many trade routes has increased the pressure on ship operation teams. In an effort to address these challenges, Adani Group, a prominent port terminal company in India, is seeking to replicate its successful growth strategy by partnering with MSC Group for terminal operations at Vizhinjam port, a deep-water project in southern India. The goal is to transform Vizhinjam into a regional maritime hub similar to Colombo in Sri Lanka or Singapore, ultimately boosting shipping volumes. This strategic location provides access to major international waterways and positions India as a global transshipment hub.

A significant portion of Indian containerized freight is currently transshipped through foreign hub ports due to the lack of direct connections. This reliance on transshipment increases the cost of India's import and export trade, undermining the cost competitiveness of Indian goods. However, Vizhinjam has the potential to accommodate container ship call sizes of up to 24,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), a capability that other Indian ports lack.

Shortly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed India's ambition to become one of the world's top five shipbuilders within a decade, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping criticized recent efforts to reduce reliance on China in various industries. While China is currently the largest shipbuilder and steelmaker globally, many businesses are exploring options such as reshoring, near-shoring, or diversifying their operations elsewhere. Recent projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicate that India's economic growth may outpace that of China. Western giants like Boeing and Apple are gradually increasing their investments in new factories in India, with the overt support of the U.S. government.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China revealed that a record 64% of respondents found their business dealings with China becoming more challenging. In another development, Samskip has contracted the Indian shipyard Cochin to design and build two 730 TEU feeder vessels powered by hydrogen. Although India's largest shipyard facilities are smaller compared to Shanghai's drydocks, the proximity to one of the world's largest ship-breaking industries could potentially reduce the carbon footprint of the steel used in constructing these vessels.

Space Supply and Scheduling

Blank sailings have grown increasingly common across a spectrum of shipping routes, casting a shadow on the predictability and accessibility of transportation services. The industry grapples with the scarcity of container vessels and mounting port congestion, which, in turn, have led to escalated freight rates. These challenges necessitate proactive measures to ensure smooth logistical operations and maintain efficiency in your cargo shipments.

Local Landside Update

The ongoing industrial action at DP World Australia ports has sent ripples throughout the shipping and logistics industry, causing a series of disruptive effects. These labor disputes have resulted in significant delays and increased operational costs for businesses relying on these ports for their supply chain operations. Ships have been held up, affecting the timely delivery of goods, and the congestion in these ports has led to a backlog of containers waiting to be unloaded or loaded onto vessels.

While industrial actions are a legitimate means for workers to voice their concerns and demands, the ongoing nature of these disruptions underscores the importance of finding effective and mutually agreeable solutions for the benefit of both the labor force and the broader economy. The impact of these ongoing industrial actions serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between labor rights and the smooth functioning of the shipping and logistics industry.

Feel free to reach out for specific information or assistance - we are here to ensure that your shipments continue to flow seamlessly.

The global shipping and logistics industry remains dynamic and resilient, adapting to a continually changing landscape. We at SILA are committed to keeping you informed and offering expert solutions to address these challenges and capitalise on opportunities.

As we approach the end of the year, we extend our gratitude for your continued trust in SILA. 

Please reach out to our dedicated representatives for guidance and solutions that cater to your specific requirements and thank you for entrusting us with your shipping needs.

SILA Global Commercial Team
CCO - jason@sila.net.au | NAT. MNGR - steve@sila.net.au
BDM - johann@sila.net.au | BDM - monowar@sila.net.au
T: (+61) 02 9556 4866 | E: sales@silanet.au