DP World Australia - another increase in Infrastructure Surcharges

Monday, November 4, 2019
DP World Australia has today (Monday 4 November 2019) released details of increases to their Terminal Access Charge (formerly known as an Infrastructure Surcharge) and other ancillary charges at their Port Botany, Fisherman Island, Fremantle and West Swanson Terminal operations.

DPWA Fremantle Access Charge Notice - Effective January 2020

DPWA Brisbane Access Charge Notice - Effective January 2020

DPWA Sydney Access Charge Notice - Effective January 2020

DPWA Melbourne Access Charge Notice - Effective January 2020


COMMENTARY - only last week when Hutchison announced their increases at Port Botany (refer HERE), we stated it is obviously a lot easier for stevedores to turn up the Infrastructure Surcharge "money tap" rather than absorbing costs or passing these on to their commercial client (shipping line) - tomorrow being Melbourne Cup day we meet with the NSW Productivity Commissioner to explain the impacts on industry of this unregulated and anti-competitive charging regime - hopefully we pick a champion ! 

National Summary of Infrastructure Surcharges

An updated summary of all Infrastructure Surcharges nationally is now available HERE (NOTE - FTA / APSA MEMBER LOGIN REQUIRED)

Data collated courtesy of the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA), Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Container Transport Alliance Australia CTAA)

Update on advocacy activity

As outlined in recent member notices, the Victorian government commissioned a Port Pricing and Access Review led by Deloitte Access – a summary of the formal submission prepared by Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) is available HERE

In response to follow up member enquiries, below is a snapshot on what's happening in other FTA / APSA advocacy activity on this matter:
  • Melbourne - Sean Richards (APSA Chair and EM Visy Logistics) and I are scheduled to meet Roma Britnell MP (Shadow Minister for Ports and Freight and Member for Warrnambool) in Melbourne on 12 November 2019 to elaborate on matters raised in the FTA / APSA submission.  
     
  • Fremantle – correspondence has been sent to the Fremantle Port Corporation advocating constraint on the surge in Infrastructure Surcharges with the signing of stevedoring leases.   
     
  • Sydney – a contingent of FTA / APSA members met with The Hon. Andrew Constance (Minister for Transport and Roads and Member for Bega) on 12 August 2019 – this has resulted in a scheduled meeting on 5 November 2019 with Peter Achterstraat AM (NSW Productivity Commissioner) 
     
  • National - we have maintained our engagement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and understand that they are getting to the pointy end of drafting up the 2018-19 stevedoring monitoring report. This year it looks likely to be released in early November 2019 and we trust that findings will continue to support for our advocacy activity.
Paul Zalai - Director and co-founder, FTA / Secretariat, APSA