New Zealand
AIR
IMPORT
- Major terminals (Air New Zealand, Swissport, Menzies) are operating normally nationwide but we are expecting disruption this weekend as the cyclone approaches.
EXPORT
- Major terminals (Air New Zealand, Swissport, Menzies) are operating normally nationwide but we are expecting disruption this weekend as the cyclone approaches.
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- New Zealand Exports – Due to the conflict in Iran and the resulting increase in fuel costs, delivery rates for DAP & DDP shipments will increase for shipments booked and in transit. Should your shipment be affected we will be in contact once costs are known.
- Ferry issues both mechanical and weather related have affected the supply link between the North and South Islands. There have been delays to trucking and rail services crossing the Cook Strait.
- Due to the increased cost of fuel and the impact that this is having on our CFS packing/unpacking depots across New Zealand & Australia, please be advised that a ‘FAK Pack/Unpack Fuel Surcharge’ will become effective for all LCL cargo from 13th April.
This charge will show as an additional line on all invoices that transact import or export LCL services at a level of NZD 2.00 per w/m in New Zealand and AUD 3.00 per w/m in Australia.
This charge will be reviewed on a monthly basis and will be removed as soon as the cost of fuel drops back to pre-conflict levels.
Australia
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- As Australia enters peak reefer season, exporters of hay, grain, and other perishables continue to face container shortages across multiple shipping lines. Demand remains particularly high for 20GP, 20RF, 20FQ, and 40RF units, creating ongoing pressure on supply chains for temperature-sensitive and bulk agricultural shipments.
- 20’ and 40’ Reefer shortages persist in localised areas in the USA, please build additional time into your supply chain for containers to be repositioned.
- The Federal Government has halved the fuel excise on petrol and diesel for 3 months and cut Heavy Vehicle user charges in an effort to ease pressure on the transport sector. Whilst the fuel supply for Australia remains secure in the near term, there are question marks for the mid-long term if the fuel crisis continues with supply of oil uncertain.
A Fuel Supply Taskforce has been established to co-ordinate gross-government advice and reporting in relation to fuel security and supply chain resilience, and has designed the National Fuel Security Plan, which will be guided by four levels:
1. Plan and prepare
2. Keeping Australia moving (current settings)
3. Taking targeted action
4. Protecting critical services for all Australians
2. Keeping Australia moving (current settings)
3. Taking targeted action
4. Protecting critical services for all Australians
For more information, you can view the National Fuel Security Plan here: https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/national-fuel-security-plan
Fuel surcharges for domestic and international freight continue to increase and are changing on a daily basis. Please speak with your customer services representative for the latest fuel surcharges.
- Victorian Container Management in Melbourne will go live with OneStop’s Modal platform & Vehicle Booking System from the 1st May 2026, with the aim to provide a new level of speed, visibility and automation to empty container parks operations across Victoria.
- Due to the increased cost of fuel and the impact that this is having on our CFS packing/unpacking depots across New Zealand & Australia, please be advised that a ‘FAK Pack/Unpack Fuel Surcharge’ will become effective for all LCL cargo from 13th April.
This charge will show as an additional line on all invoices that transact import or export LCL services at a level of NZD 2.00 per w/m in New Zealand and AUD 3.00 per w/m in Australia.
This charge will be reviewed on a monthly basis and will be removed as soon as the cost of fuel drops back to pre-conflict levels.
Asia
AIR
IMPORT
- Market remains under pressure, with rates continuing to increase week-on-week driven by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
- Airspace restrictions and extended routings are impacting aircraft utilisation and capacity.
- Capacity remains tight across SYD, MEL, and BNE, with carriers actively managing payloads due to longer sector times.
- Fuel surcharges continue to rise on Australian imports, with further reviews expected as operating costs increase.
- Transit delays of 1–3 days remain common for Australian imports, with some lanes seeing further slippage depending on routing.
- South China has largely recovered operationally post-CNY; however, efficiency gains are being offset by global network disruption.
- Increased competition for space from Europe/Middle East re-routed cargo is putting additional pressure on Asia – Australia capacity.
- Transit times and rates now starting to increase for New Zealand imports as fuel surcharges are rolled into the rates.
- Capacity is starting to get stretched for New Zealand imports.
EXPORT
- Capacity for Australian exports remains tight and continues to tighten further due to aircraft displacement from the Middle East conflict.
- Rates are continuing to increase, with upward pressure expected to remain short-term.
- Airlines are heavily prioritising premium/high-yield cargo, limiting general freight space.
- Schedule reliability is impacted, with some uplift delays due to network adjustments.
- Early bookings and flexibility on routing remain critical.
- New Zealand export consols moving as booked with capacity available on most carriers, rates remain steady but fuel surcharges coming on the 1st of April.
OCEAN
IMPORT
- While the cost of fuel is putting upward pressure on short term pricing, space issues on imports from Asia still seem relatively minimal, with most departing on/around the required time – there are still the occasional shipping line specific issues from certain origins and at transship ports.
- As the export produce season from New Zealand is now in full swing, the shipping lines are again actively chasing Non-Operating Reefer (NOR) bookings as they look to minimise their costs positioning containers in. If you are actively looking for ways to keep your landed costs down, this is a great option to consider if your supplier can accommodate.
EXPORT
- Some Carriers are still experiencing transhipment delays in Singapore.
- As we enter peak season space has tightened, please place your bookings a minimum of 4 weeks in advance of the desired shipment date. Reefer space and equipment is in high demand.
Trans-Tasman
AIR
IMPORT
- Major terminals (Qantas Freight, Dnata, Swissport, Menzies) remain fully operational.
- Slight increase in dwell times at Australian Import Terminals due to irregular arrival patterns and volume spikes.
- No major issues, but timing variability remains across all gateways.
- New Zealand imports – Blocked space consols having some uplift issues, additional space is harder to get particularly due to the lack of freighters coming through Australia.
- Fuel surcharges have started and likely to increase over the coming weeks.
EXPORT
- Australian Export Terminals operating normally across all major gateways.
- Consols moving as booked but we are expecting disruption in the coming weeks as carriers reduce services and switch wide body aircraft to narrow body.
OCEAN
IMPORT
- Transtasman services remain relatively stable with occasional omissions or schedule adjustments. At the time of writing this, no significant backlog or congestion to contend with. Cover bookings on transtasman services can still be made 5-6 weeks in advance signalling space remains available in the foreseeable future.
- 20’ equipment remains tight across all ports with primary industries still in export season full swing. Converting consignments from 20’ containers to 40’ or 40’HC equipment (larger orders or less frequent shipments) improves the odds of availability as per your requirements. If more frequent but smaller orders were required, please consider our weekly LCL services to New Zealand.
- We have ongoing rail closures on the South Australia rail network due to Flooding. This is part of the Trans-Australian Railway linking Perth with Adelaide and the eastern states and is a key freight corridor.
EXPORT
- Auckland and Tauranga have good capacity; space is tight from most other load ports.
Europe
AIR
IMPORT
- Market remains heavily impacted by the Middle East conflict, with ongoing airspace constraints and extended flight paths.
- Emirates services continue to stabilise but are not yet sufficient to normalise capacity levels.
- Qatar Airways capacity remains limited, with no significant improvement in uplift availability.
- Capacity remains constrained overall for Australian imports, despite gradual EK and QR network recovery.
- Rates continue to increase for both Australia and New Zealand, due to strong demand, longer routings, and higher fuel burn.
- Transit times remain extended, with delays still present across major European hubs.
- Capacity remains stretched for New Zealand imports particularly for larger shipments which are taking up to a week to book and move, our consols via Asia are getting delayed in transit but generally for no more than 48 hours.
- Fuel Surcharges have been implemented from all origins for both Australia and New Zealand, and are expected to increase later this month and into May.
EXPORT
- Outbound capacity from Australia remains constrained, with ongoing inefficiencies from extended routings. Emirates recovery is assisting, but not enough to offset overall capacity shortages.
- Qatar Airways uplift remains limited with no major improvement this week.
- Rates continue to trend upward, driven by fuel and operational costs.
- Transit times remain extended, with variability depending on routing.
- New Zealand Exports – Very limited capacity via Middle East and Asia. Asian freight rates to Europe remain extremely high with some Asian carriers now refusing to take lower deck bookings to Europe. Space via the USA now very tight as seasonal US carriers start to cease services next week, bookings taking up to 7 days to get secured.
OCEAN
IMPORT
- Most services are open for bookings, however some lines may introduce Emergency Fuel Surcharges due to rapidly rising oil prices.
- BMSB season has started again on September 1st 2025 and will run to April 30th 2026. Procedures are mostly the same as last season. Some sailings from Europe are now due to arrive after April 30th so no BMSB processes needed on these.
- CMA CGM and Maersk are continuing to sail via Cape of Good Hope. There is potential for congestion to build up in Asia at the transshipment ports.
- MSC has some Panama options available.
- We have seen increased customs inspections from European ports particularly on cargo with any military connection.
EXPORT
- All services to the Gulf States have been suspended due to the conflict in Iran. Some Carriers are operating services to Aqaba, Jeddah and King Abdullah from the Mediterranean Sea.
- European ports are experiencing persistent congestion across major container terminals due to a combination of structural, operational, and external disruptions. European port congestion is heavily exacerbated by labour dynamics—shortages, wage negotiations, and strike actions—interacting with automation, winter weather, and infrastructural limitations. Workforce issues remain both a primary driver of operational delays and a focal point for technological and managerial strategies aimed at restoring efficiency in European shipping networks. High demand for port services is outpacing existing capacity (especially in Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp).
- Suez Canal Situation – The Suez Canal attacks continue to cause container lines to avoid the route. Services continue to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.
North America
AIR
IMPORT
- Market remains relatively stable, though increasingly impacted by global capacity displacement.
- LAX congestion persists, with consolidation delays of 1–3 days still standard.
- Rates are firming, driven by fuel increases and global network pressure.
- Airlines continue to closely manage payloads and prioritise higher-yield freight.
- Some minor schedule adjustments and rolling delays are being observed.
- Fuel surcharges have been introduced by all carriers from the US which is likely to increase into May.
- New Zealand import consols are starting to get delayed in transit, at this stage just by 24 to 48 hours, however this is likely to increase.
EXPORT
- Capacity remains relatively stable for Australian exports, though tightening slightly as global demand shifts.
- Rates are increasing gradually, in line with fuel and network pressures.
- Minor delays continue, particularly via LAX due to consolidation and handling volumes. Overall, still the most stable long-haul lane from AU currently.
- Capacity remains full for New Zealand exports. We can get space quicker to the West Coast than the East but still require around 7 days for bookings to be confirmed.
OCEAN
- Vancouver – terminal utilization has reduced to 71%, there are no berthing delays. The average import rail dwell time has reduced to 1.9.
- Panama Canal services for ANP/OC1 service – Space is readily accessible, we do encourage that bookings are placed in 2+ weeks in advance of departure.
- US Terminal Operations:
New York – berthing delays of up to 5 days. Import rail dwell time has reduced to 0.3 days.
Norfolk – berthing delays of 15 hours, import dwell time has reduced to 1.9 days.
Charleston – berthing delays of 9 hours, import dwell has reduced to 3.7 days.
Savannah – average wait time for a berth remains at 2 days, import dwell time has increased to 6.2 days, rail dwell time has increased slightly to 1 day.
Houston – no waiting time for a berth. Import dwell time has decreased to3.9 days. Barbours Cut Container Terminal has 4 new STS cranes in commissioning status. The operational date is May 2026.
Oakland – no berthing delays. Average import delivery timeframe decreased to 4.8 days.
Seattle – no berthing delays. Rail import dwell time remains at 3 days.
Long Beach – congestion on port is 5.4 days.
IMPORT
- Emergency Fuel Surcharges have been rolled out on intermodal moves (rail/truck) within North America with surcharges of USD 200 – 400 per container being levied against these intermodal moves.
- Space on services from either coast is not a problem at this point.
EXPORT
- US Tariffs – current status:
- Court Orders and Timeline
- On March 4, 2026, the CIT issued a sweeping refund directive in Atmus Filtration, Inc. v. United States.
- The Court instructed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to refund tariffs for:
– Entries not yet liquidated (to be retroactively cleared)
– Entries within the 180-day protest window (to be reopened for refund) - Immediate compliance was suspended after CBP indicated logistical impossibility.
- CBP Response and CAPE Portal
- CBP proposed a Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal, aimed at automating refund processing.
- CAPE functionalities:
- Uploading standardized lists (CSV) of entries.
- Automatic recalculation of duties without IEEPA tariffs.
- Reviewing and setting liquidation/refund dates.
- Electronic payments to importers’ bank accounts.
- As of March 12, 2026, development was 40–80% complete, with a target rollout around Mid-April 2026
(approximately 45 days from early March).
If your business is the Importer of Record with CBP and need to apply for duty refunds, please contact your Oceanbridge representative for guidance.
- Court Orders and Timeline
- 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. There is a blank sailing in Week 16, effectively there is a 3-week gap between Vancouver and Seattle departures in April. Effective the Seaspan Hamburg 617N, ETD Tauranga 14/5, vessels will call at Long Beach Fenix Marine Services terminal and no longer discharge at Long Beach.
- US Customs holds/inspections – Containers selected by US Customs for examination are taking 1-3 weeks to be inspected; Long Beach is the most impacted port with delays.
