FTA / APSA expose unfair DP World fee increases - rubbing salt into wounds of our trade sector : MEDIA UPDATE 16

"The magnitude of the increases are staggering, and in what is a real kick in the guts, they inexplicably have targeted Australian exporters with the largest increase," he said.

"We have pleaded with DP World to waive these charges as a form of relief until the industrial action is resolved – this was declined, as too was a request to at least consider a deferment of the increase to a later date."

... The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission last year found that "industry profit margins remained near historical highs in 2022–23", and there was a "lack of predictability" around charge changes, prompting Mr Zalai to call on the government to intervene and better regulate the sector.

The Productivity Commission, which released a report reviewing Australia's maritime logistics in January last year, recommended Treasury regulate fees and call in the ACCC to enforce them, a move backed by the alliance.

"We now more than ever need a level of well-considered regulation to safeguard the commercial viability of our exporters and to control spiralling costs of imports," Mr Zalai said.

While it was reasonable for stevedore firms to recover costs, that was increasingly being done through uncontestable land-side charges, rather than being imposed on the large multinational shipping companies.

The LoadStar -  Dispute at Australian ports heats up, leading to threat of 'lockouts' [12 January 2024]

"The escalation of the action from both parties is alarming, and it appears we are rapidly heading towards a lockout of workers," said Paul Zalai, director of the Freight & Trade Alliance. 

"This would be a high-risk strategy; we have a waterfront that will potentially explode, and the government is nowhere to be seen." 

Paul Zalai - Director FTA | Secretariat APSA | Director GSF