New Zealand
AIR TERMINALS
- Air NZ and Menzies are currently operational with no major disruptions reported.
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- KiwiRail have confirmed line closures will affect rail freight services between Hamilton and Auckland commencing from Saturday 20th September 2025 06:00am to Saturday 4th October 2025 6:00pm. Road-bridging will be in place to keep the Metroport service operating.
- Port of Lyttelton VBS will increase by 30% from October 1st.
- BMSB Seasonal Measures will apply to targeted goods manufactured in, or shipped from, target risk countries (shipped between 1st September 2025 to the 30th April 2026 inclusive).
Australia
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- As container stock ages, and availability becomes more limited, the overall quality is declining. Shipping lines are increasingly issuing invoices related to container damage. To help protect against these, please ensure that both the supplier and the end receiver take clear, high-resolution photos of each container before loading & unloading. Comprehensive photographic records are vital for mitigating potential disputes and upholding responsibility.
- 20’ containers are still in short supply across Australia. Please speak with your Customer Services Representative for options.
- Reefer (Refrigerated) container stock is becoming low in Australia. Carriers are now looking to reposition Reefer containers back into Australia to meet the export demand for the upcoming summer months. They are offering reduced rates and priority shipping for Non-Refrigerated containers (NOR’s). Please speak to your Customer Service Rep for pricing options and if your cargo is suitable.
- BMSB Seasonal Measures will apply to targeted goods manufactured in, or shipped from, target risk countries (shipped between 1st September 2025 to the 30th April 2026 inclusive). Whilst the majority of the rules from previous seasons apply, there are a few additions:
– The Republic of Korea and Japan have been added to the emerging risk countries list
– Target high risk goods arriving as Airfreight from the USA and China will be subject to random inspections
– Addition of Ethyl Formate as a new form of offshore BMSB treatment
Please refer to www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/before/brown-marmorated-stink-bugs for more details on the 2025-2026 BMSB season. We recommend cargo is treated at origin (offshore) prior to importing into Australia. Please speak to your Customer Services Representative for options.
- Australia Post has suspended it’s postal delivery services to the United States due to the significant changes made by the US government to customs and import tariff rules.
- Terminal updates:
Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal – MUA Stop Work Meeting on Friday 5th September from 0900-1400hours.
VICT and MEDLOG container park – protestors blocked access to Webb Dock Drive in Port Melbourne on Monday 1st September, impacting container access and this will affect schedules dates and times for container availability and deliveries over the next week.
Hutchison Ports have entered into a new 4 year Enterprise Agreement with the unions through to 2029.
VICT have also entered into a new 4 year Enterprise Agreement with unions, securing operations until March 2029.
Patrick, Fisherman Islands Terminal will cease all ship and yard operations between 0700-2300 hours on Tuesday 9th September for yard infrastructure and system maintenance.
Asia
AIR
IMPORT
- Capacity issues persist from many origins due to reduced services of the Airlines, ocean delays and the conversion of shipments to air transport, particularly from China, Singapore and South Korea.
- Rates remain volatile across key trade lanes due to high demand and limited space availability.
EXPORT
- Consols are operating on schedule with generally good carrier capacity.
OCEAN
IMPORT
- Congestion in South-East Asian transship ports is expected to ease over the next 2 – 3 weeks, with the lines that are most impacted having larger vessels coming through.
- The Chinese National Day Holiday is approaching quickly (1 – 8 October), often with the 2 weeks prior to this date being very difficult to secure trucking services in China. Whilst the market from Asia has not seen the pressure as what we did in 2024, we do expect pressure getting space throughout September.
- A reminder that whilst most countries in Asia are not BMSB risk origins, Japan is, so any risk cargo (or OT/FR containers) will need to be correctly treated.
EXPORT
- Some Carriers are experiencing transhipment delays in Singapore of 2-3 weeks.
- Space is starting ease as we near the end of peak export season for this region. We do however recommend booking at least 3 weeks in advance of the required shipping date if possible.
Trans-Tasman
AIR
IMPORT
- Consols are generally moving as booked with capacity available on most carriers.
EXPORT
- Consols are moving as booked and capacity remains available on most routes.
OCEAN
- Cosco & OOCL have announced that their dedicated Trans-Tasman service will add a direct call at Wellington from the start of September.
IMPORT
- 20’ containers are still in short supply across Australia. Please speak with your Customer Services Representative for options.
EXPORT
- All NZ export services have immediate availability.
Europe
AIR
IMPORT
- While most consols are moving as scheduled, there are minor to moderate delays expected (1–3 days), often due to routing adjustments and operational bottlenecks.
- Strong demand and limited capacity into Auckland are driving rate volatility and ongoing space constraints.
- United Airlines has announced that it will resume operating daily flights starting 27 October 2025.
EXPORT
- Capacity via Asia and Middle Eastern airlines remains generally stable. However, space into London is currently very limited, with most airlines experiencing delays and backlogs.
- United Airlines has announced that it will resume operating daily flights starting 27 October 2025.
OCEAN
Red Sea is still at risk of attacks by Houthi rebels. Maersk and CMA have not announced any return to the Suez Canal for NZ services, and continue to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.
IMPORT
- BMSB season has started again on September 1st 2025 and will run to April 30th 2026. Procedures are mostly the same as last season.
- Summer holidays in Europe end and factories re-open. This can cause equipment shortages as exporters demand containers that have been sitting at importers yard longer than usual.
- We have seen increased customs inspections from European ports particularly on cargo with any military connection.
- Maersk Vessels via Panama now transit the USA and require AMS filing.
- UK shipments to NZ now need to pre-cleared using the EU’s ICS2 system. This is because UK vessels transit through EU ports before heading out to Asia.
- Vessels are off window arriving into Europe from the Cape of Good Hope. On time arrivals are as low as 21%. This is causing the weekly schedules to be disrupted
- 20’ reefers are in low supply across Europe.
EXPORT
- Reefer space and equipment is more available.
- Vessels are heavily booked; bookings need to be made 3 weeks in advance.
- European ports are congested, Southampton is at 90-95% capacity.
North America
AIR
IMPORT
- Consols are moving as booked with good capacity across most carriers.
- Rates have remained stable throughout Aug to early Sept; with no fluctuations at this stage.
- United Airlines has announced that it will resume operating daily flights starting 27 October 2025.
EXPORT
- Space remains limited on certain sectors during the New Zealand winter period due to reduced services and capacity.
- United Airlines has announced that it will resume operating daily flights starting 27 October 2025.
OCEAN
- MSC have announced that they will launch a standalone Eagle Service from Australia / New Zealand to / from USA East Coast commencing February 2026.
MSC will deploy 11 vessels on this weekly rotation. This new service will also provide connections through Panama to / from Europe, Central and South America, as well as USA Gulf Ports.
At this stage, the service rotation will call at the following ports, however this could be amended prior to the start date in early 2026:
Philadelphia – Savannah – Freeport – Rodman – Papeete – Auckland – Sydney – Melbourne – Brisbane – Tauranga
– Cristobal – Philadelphia
Philadelphia – Savannah – Freeport – Rodman – Papeete – Auckland – Sydney – Melbourne – Brisbane – Tauranga
– Cristobal – Philadelphia
- Vancouver – no berthing delays. Import rail dwell average has reduced to 2.6 days.
- Panama Canal services for ANP/OC1 service – Space is starting to free up, we still encourage that bookings are placed in 2+ weeks in advance of departure.
- US Terminal Operations:
New York – Berthing is delayed by 6 hours. Import rail dwell time is 0.5 days.
Norfolk – no berthing delays, import dwell time is 2.9 days.
Charleston – no berthing delays, import dwell time is 8.5 days.
Savannah – average wait time for a berth has increased to 2 days, Import dwell time is 6.8 days, rail dwell time is 1.1 days.
Houston – waiting time of 3 hours for a berth. Import dwell time is 3.6 days.
Oakland – no berthing delays, however 4 cranes are out of service. Average import delivery timeframe is running at 4 days.
Seattle – no berthing delays. Rail import dwell time remains at 3 days.
Long Beach – Congestion on port has not improved with delays of 4-8 days.
IMPORT
- Accessing 20’ dry equipment is proving challenging for some shipping lines.
- Space is available from both coasts however some shipping lines have more than others due to seasonal cargo commitments.
EXPORT
- A number of HS Codes for steel related items have been to US Customs Section 232 and are now subject to 50% duty. Certain items are exempt if the derivative iron or steel product was processed in another country from steel articles that were melted and poured in the United States. Chapters impacted are 4,21,27,28,2930,32,33,34,35,38,39,72,73,76,82,83,84,85,85,87,94 & 95. The change is immediate and applies to all cargo cleared into the US from August 18 at 12.01am eastern day time onward. Please contact us for further clarification should you have concerns this may impact your export business to the US.
- The US baseline tariff has increased from 10% to 15% – Goods loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and in transit on the final mode of transit before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of this order (31st July), and entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 5, 2025, shall not be subject to such additional duty and shall instead remain subject to the additional ad valorem duties previously imposed.
- A tariff of 50% has been announced on all refined copper and semi-finished goods effective August 1st.
- West Coast North America – the direct service to West Coast of the US & Canadian is seeing a drop off in demand, the Vancouver calling vessels remain at capacity.
- Reefer equipment is starting to free up, space is scarce for the West Coast.
