DP World port strikes end – Terminal Access Fees Increase

Industrial Port Strikes End

Agreement Reached

DP World, who has been in dispute with the Maritime Union since October 2023, announced today that an in-principle agreement has been reached with the Union which will see the end of all current industrial action at DP terminals across Australia. Whilst this is great news for Australian importers and exporters, there is still 1-2 months of difficult times ahead until port productivity is restored and shipping lines manage to get their vessel schedules back in order.

Planned Terminal Access Fees Increase

Terminal Access Fees

Further to previous notifications surrounding landside planned increases, terminal access fees have now seen several increases come into effect from 01 February, 2024. Both DP World and Victoria International Terminals have announced an increase to Vehicle Booking System VBS fees, and general Infrastructure Fees. Several container parks, who handle empty containers on behalf of shipping lines, have announced an increase in their Container Chain slot booking fee, up to $200.00 per container. This will no doubt provide further impetus for Patrick Terminals and other independent terminals, including empty container parks, to increase their Access Fees. At present, an increase of $50 - $100.00 per container can be seen depending on the service provider used, however this may change once all planned increases become apparent. These increases will be reflected in our February invoices.