Our personalised & steadily growing freight forwarding operation is moving from strength to strength. Over the past 12 years our worldwide network of over 80 partner agents has been cultivated & continuously improved to offer our brand of service from the key trading regions of the world. Whether your needs are air or ocean, import or export, to port, airport or all the way to door we would like the opportunity to work with you. So if your current service providers are letting you down, if you just like working with the team here at Austin’s! or you would like more control or confidence in your freight options why not give us a try!

For a no obligation free quote or routing comparison just contact our Freight Manager Mike Kelly at mike@austin.com.au .

AQIS changes to use of methyl bromide as a fumigant

Recent changes to the AQIS methyl bromide fumigation standard centre on free air space & the suitability of the imported goods to be treated with methyl bromide. It remains critical that all treatment certificates and / or packing declarations clearly state whether the goods have an impervious coating or are enclosed in plastic wrap. If a consignment containing timber arrives without a valid treatment certificate / packing declaration & it cannot be fully inspected to ensure it is free from wrappings or surfaces impervious to methyl bromide, AQIS will rely on the treatment certificate or packing declaration statements. The alternative would be full unpack & inspection at importer cost & the possibility of cargo being directed for alternate treatment. And for those of you who have experienced the alternatives (for eg gamma, heat treatment, or ETO) it is extremely expensive & time consuming.

The full AQIS notice to industry can be located by clicking the following link http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import/general-info/ian/10/36-2010

Peak Season Update

The latest news on shipping capacity & rates from North & South East Asia is encouraging for importers. There has been a string of new vessels added to the Asia – Australasia trade and as a result rates have come under pressure and in many cases fallen. At last count there have been 4 new vessels introduced by consortiums to ply the trade. That has added around 6,500 container slots per week in capacity. The remaining issue, and we are told this is also improving every week, is the shortfall in actual equipment. As stated in our last newsflash, shipping lines generally got the numbers wrong on the amount of empty containers needed to service the trade. The better than expected pick up in trade has given us more ships to service capacity on the vessels……just not enough containers to put the cargo in!

The Asia Australia Discussion agreement had mooted a general rate rise of US$250 per 20’ & US$500 per 40’ for mid July & similar rate rises for September & October. On the back of the added capacity & almost spontaneous pressure on rates the July rates never saw the light of day & we do not expect the September & October rises to be implemented either. In fact with another 2,200 TEU capacity vessel due in September they may find it difficult implementing any rate restorations at all!

Port Botany wharf Reforms

Much to chagrin of many of us involved in the container logistics business, and we include importers and exporters here, the service provided to trucks by both of Sydney’s main Container Terminals has been underwhelming to say the least. The problem with delays, demurrage, traffic congestion & operational movements became that bad that the NSW Government has stepped in to try & rectify the situation. This is officially known as the PBLIS (Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy) and it is being managed by Sydney Ports under new regulations implemented by the NSW Government. If the Terminal’s themselves, namely Patrick & DP World, can’t stuff it up enough the involvement of the NSW Labor Government should do the trick! Jokes aside we remain hopeful that the solution that is eventually put in place will enable the whole industry to move forward with more confidence & consistency with the Port Stevedores. The mooted start date is October 2010 and once we have greater detail on the Performance Management Regulation that Sydney Ports & the NSW Government is endeavouring to introduce we will communicate that with you. An overview of the PBLIS can be viewed at the following link;

http://www.sydneyports.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/12710/SPC8981_
PBLIS_overview_for_industry.pdf