The Domestic Transport Portal acts as a vital bridge between shippers and carriers, facilitating the transportation of goods and handling tasks such as sourcing carriers, negotiating rates, managing documentation, and providing customers visibility throughout the shipment process.

Our new Domestic Transport Portal offers customers a wider network of carriers, increasing the chances of finding the most cost-effective and efficient transport solutions. Our existing line haul service typically involves fixed routes and carriers, the trucking brokerage taps into a larger network of carriers, ensuring more personalised and tailored shipment options. This flexibility allows us to find the most suitable options for each shipment, taking into account factors such as cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and specific customer requirements.

The benefits of Stockwell’s Domestic Transport Portal

Our customers are now able to gain access to a broader network of carriers, increasing the chances of finding the most cost-effective and efficient transportation solutions for their shipments. We’ve established strong relationships with trusted carriers both in Australia and around the world, ensuring the sourcing of the best options to meet specific needs.

We can also negotiate competitive rates on behalf of our customers, resulting in cost savings. By connecting customers with carriers offering favourable pricing, we can help your business allocate resources more efficiently.

Customers can leave the complexities of carrier selection, documentation management, and tracking to our dedicated in-house team. This saves valuable time and effort, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations while we ensure a smooth and efficient logistics process.

How does the Machship portal work?

The Domestic Transport Portal offers advanced tracking and reporting capabilities, providing valuable insights into logistics processes. This enables businesses to make data-driven decisions, identify areas for improvement, and optimise their overall supply chain efficiency.

So, how does the DTP work? The process is simple:

1. Provide shipment details: Customers can conveniently provide shipment details such as origin, destination, and cargo specifications through the Machship portal or by contacting the Stockwell team.
2. Advanced matching and carrier selection: DTP’s platform uses advanced algorithms to match shipment requirements with suitable carriers from Stockwell’s extensive network. The Stockwell team then negotiates rates and finalises carrier selection.
3. Quote confirmation: Once the carrier is selected, customers receive a quote for their shipment. After reviewing and confirming the quote, the shipment is ready to go.
4. Documentation, tracking, and communication: Throughout the transportation process, DTP manages the documentation, tracking, and communication, providing real-time updates and ensuring smooth coordination between all parties involved.
5. Detailed reporting and analytics: After the delivery is complete, customers receive comprehensive reporting and analytics, offering insights into their shipment history and performance.

We are excited about the positive impact the DTP will have on customers’ logistics operations. The portal provides a user-friendly self-service experience, empowering customers to manage their shipments, access real-time information, and perform various tasks related to logistics management from one central location.

Customers can trust Stockwell to handle their logistics while focusing on growing their business. Contact us today to get started!

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Chinese New Year will commence on January 22, 2023, and end on February 5, 2023. Nevertheless, many production sites will begin to decelerate and close down up to a month prior as this significant tradition is the only holiday where people get to spend extended time with their families.

As many ports, factories and production sites close, it can disrupt supply chains and impact the logistics of businesses. Preparing ahead of time will allow you to minimise the disruption of delays in your supply chain management system.

Challenges to expect

Factory closures halt goods delivered from factories to ports, and ports will function at a lower capacity due to the seasonal shipping rush from Chinese New Year closures. Ocean freight services may be full or overbooked earlier than usual, causing challenges in securing container space as carriers will be in high demand. As a result, this will increase rates for freight and other delivery services in and out of China. 

What you can do to avoid stressing your supply chain

If you want to avoid disruptions in your supply chain, placing orders well before the Chinese New Year is best. By preparing in advance and being mindful of deadlines, you can ensure your freight delivery runs smoothly.

Check-in with your manufacturer

Consult with your manufacturer and factories ahead of time on closures and final shipment dates to confirm that your supplies will reach you before the holiday. By booking your ocean freight at least three weeks in advance, you will have time to plan for any potential production delays and avoid disruptions in your supply chain. 

Organise your inventory to overcome delays or shortages

The ramifications of delays in shipping and manufacturing can be long-lasting. If you’re receiving shipments from China, it’s best to communicate closely with your supplier. The dates of these shipments can change in the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year, as factories are working at full capacity. Ensure you have alternatives, such as organising inventory to avoid shortages due to delayed or slow shipments. 

With proper planning and communication, you can prepare your supply chain for the impacts of the Chinese New Year, ensuring that you can continue serving your customers during this time. By working with freight services providers, freight forwarders, port authorities and logistics experts, you can mitigate any potential disruptions and ensure seamless operations during this period of production closures.

Need to get your stock moving quickly? Talk to Stockwell about our air freight options.

Our connections with major global airlines provide us with a wide range of freight forward solutions allowing us to move cargo fast and efficiently. 

Get in touch with your logistics partner

Having a trusted and reliable logistics partner with the expertise and resources to help clear any complications during the Chinese New Year period will not only ease seasonal shipping stress but ensure that your products reach you and your customers on time. 

Get in touch with the Stockwell International team today, we can help with your freight booking needs, and the in-house booking office can arrange all your FCL movements in the lead up to and around Chinese New Year. 

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We have had relative stability over the last few months, the first in a very long time. I believe this relative stability is short lived and we should buckle back down for some more rate turbulence. 

Shanghai has fully re-opened and there is now a backlog to clear. Currently there are 260,000 TEU to be cleared out just as peak season starts. This will more notably effect Europe and the USA. 

USA continue to have chassis shortages, dwell delays and like all of us, driver, and staff shortages. Shipping lines have notified more LA omissions so more delays will be experienced. Europe are struggling with capacity as they hold containers bound for Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine. Along with the current strike action in UK it seems no port is safe from its own form of pain.

As an industry we are completely exhausted and over the short-term rate validities and the disappearance of long-term contracts. Online portals are hard work and have delivered nothing but lower levels of service and WAY more issues. Schedules are not reliable, and delays and changes are adding to the additional work operators already have.

Additionally, landside charges are also increasing regularly, empty parks remain congested and continue to experience issues and of course let’s not forget fuel increases!!

Stockwell’s have worked hard to try and put contingencies in place for all supply chain pain points. In response to less available contracts and less space we opened our booking office in April. Just this week we have expanded with new booking operations staff. This area of our business just focuses on space and rates. In just a short time we have seen a great amount of success with our booking office for clients. Our team plans, finds and secures the best and most suitable booking slot for our clients making sure it remains competitive. To get a container on a vessel is taking triple the amount of work (and time) so we will be separating freight bookings and customer service to ensure that they have time to continue to offer the best possible customer service to our clients. Our customers won’t notice the difference as our customer service team always remain their point of contact.

In summary, it’s been a year!! Its exhausting, challenging, frustrating and at times heart wrenching.   Shipping lines continue to have a monopoly on our market, can do what they want, when they want, without recourse or justification and forwarders take on all the fallout and additional charges.

It is good to see customers educating themselves to all of the issues and forming stronger partnerships with forwarders rather than blaming them, working transparently and closely ensures both parties needs are met and there is an understanding on the common goals.  

In closing don’t forget to start your Christmas ordering now, just in time shipping is for dummies and is always late and as we get closer to Christmas freight prices will increase.

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According to reports, the trio say they expect to save ¥50bn ($440m) in costs in the first fiscal year ending 31 March 2019m and thereafter ¥110bn a year.

The synergies will come from personnel consolidation, combining agencies and subsidiaries and a lowest-common-denominator-reduction strategy on port costs and service provider fees.

In their traditional New Year messages to staff today, the presidents of K Line, MOL and NYK, Eizo Murakami, Junichiro Ikeda and Tadaaki Naito, spoke of the advantages of the integration and a “turning point” for their companies.

Mr Murakami said the “spinning-off” of K Line’s container business would “deliver the advantages of expansion of scale”. He expected ONE would “achieve greater competitiveness by bringing to bear the best practices of the three companies”.

Mr Ikeda said the “new business venture” would be a “major turning point for MOL and mark a new beginning”. He added that the MOL group was “transforming itself into an enterprise capable of generating steady profits”.

Mr Naito advised his workforce that the container business integration, along with the acquisition of Yusen Logistics, were “major decisions that will shape the future of the NYK group”.

He said ONE, in which NYK has a 38% stake – compared with the 31% each held by K Line and MOL – would “aim to commence services from April” and that “the difficult work of bringing the company to life is continuing”.

After the merger, ONE will rank sixth in terms of global ranking by capacity with its combined 1.48m teu on 234 ships, comfortably above Evergreen’s 1.1m teu and just behind Hapag-Lloyd’s 1.56m teu. However, with a combined orderbook of some 187,000 teu, ONE could leapfrog Hapag-Lloyd, which has no ships on order.

Nevertheless, a primary function for the new ONE ship planners will be to reduce costs by cutting out duplicated sailings, and there is likely to be a number of charter ships off-hired in due course.

(Reference: https://theloadstar.co.uk/three-japanese-carriers-looking-forward-coming-together-one/)

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The ACCC Report provides information about the operating performance of the container stevedores, as well as the level of competition, investment and productivity in the industry.

It also explores issues affecting the broader supply chain, including road and rail connections to container terminals.

Notable Observations:

• On average across the stevedores, total revenue per TEU fell by 2%, due to increased stevedoring competition on the east coast; the increasing use of 40′ containers rather than 20′ containers; and greater bargaining power of consolidated shipping lines.

• However, the combined operating profit margin (EBITA/revenue) of the stevedores rose 4% in 2016-17 to 17.1% (with the profitability of DP World, Patrick and Flinders Adelaide being significantly higher than Hutchison).

• Unit stevedoring revenue fell by 4.5% to $138.8 per TEU. This decline was offset by a 2% increase in non-stevedoring revenue which now accounts for some 18% of overall revenue.

• Non-stevedoring revenue has become an increasingly important source of income for the stevedores – increasing by 14.9% per TEU in the past ten years, in contrast to a 25.2% decline in unit stevedoring revenue over the same period.

• VBS revenue increased by 12.2% in 2016-17 / Storage revenue rose 16.9% in 2016-17.

• Revenue from non-stevedoring activities is likely to rise dramatically with the implementation of new and increased Infrastructure Charges by DP World and Patrick in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Fremantle.

• It is estimated that the new Infrastructure Charges will gross DP World and Patrick some $70 million per annum, which is equivalent to a 5% to 6% increase in unit revenues.

• While a justification by the stevedores for the implementation / increase in Infrastructure Charges was increasing costs, the ACCC has noted that overall unit costs for DP World and Patrick are stable.  The ACCC has noted however that the stevedores have faced, or are anticipated to face, higher property prices, government taxes and rates.

• The ACCC has noted that it would appear that the stevedores are restructuring their revenues away from the shipping lines and towards to transport sector.

• The ACCC has expressed concern that transport operators are “limited in being able to switch stevedores in response to higher prices.”

• Shipping lines may now be receiving subsidised stevedoring services as a result of the Infrastructure Charges, with the ACCC noting that “it is possible that the revenues being collected from the transport operators are simply replacing revenues that used to be collected from shipping lines.”

• The ACCC has indicated that it will fully examine the impact of the Infrastructure Charges in future monitoring Reports, and will be interested to see whether the stevedores will be able to demonstrate clear infrastructure improvements for transport operators above and beyond business-as-usual capital works.

• The lion’s share of identified future terminal investment by DP World and Patrick in 2017-18 are for quay cranes, which will benefit the waterside, rather than landside operations.

Reference: Container Transport Alliance Australia, http://mailchi.mp/6a132b95d9ea/accc-container-stevedoring-monitoring-report-2016-17-ctaa-observations

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Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement with China, in a move aimed at boosting trade between the two countries.

Mr Dutton and Minister of China Customs Yu Guangzhou signed the agreement in Canberra today, enabling the countries’ customs and border protection departments to recognise each other’s Authorized Economic Operator programs.

Australia already has similar arrangements with New Zealand, Korea, Canada and Hong Kong, with MRA negotiations underway with other major trading partners.

“China is our largest trading partner and this arrangement is expected to bring a benefit of $440m to Australia’s economy over 10 years,” Mr Dutton said.

Picture: Kym Smith.

Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton and Minister of China’s Customs Yu Guangzhou signed a landmark Mutual Recognition Arrangement between Australia and China.

He said MRAs reduced the regulatory burden on Australian businesses, and would provide faster and more efficient access to the Chinese market for Australian Trusted Traders.

“This arrangement will provide Australian and Chinese businesses unprecedented access to trade facilitation benefits and will reduce costs for businesses trading between our two countries, while ensuring the integrity of our border,” Mr Dutton said.

“I encourage Australian businesses of all sizes to participate in the ATT program in order to make the most of this exciting opportunity.”

If you would like to find out how to become an Australian Trusted Trader, contact Stockwells at [email protected] or call 1300 786 468 and ask for Angela Gambell

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Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Darren Chester, said delivering $397.9 million towards the project was another element of the $8.5 billion task of fixing the Bruce Highway.

Federal Member for Dawson, George Christensen, said the project would take heavy vehicle traffic away from Mackay’s CBD and residential areas, and create a bypass for all vehicles, which aren’t heading into Brisbane.

The Mackay Ring Road has been recognised as one of the most significant projects to be undertaken in the nation over the next fifteen years by the independent infrastructure advisor Infrastructure Australia.

According to Christensen, the first stage of the project would upgrade more than 11 kilometers of road between Stockroute and Bald Hill Roads, with the specific purpose of reducing traffic congestion and accidents.

“The ring road is going to make a big difference to travel times – it’s thought it will cut travel time for trucks heading to the port by 20% to 30%, and bypassing traffic by 50%,” Mr Christensen said.

Work on Stage One is due to start mid-year and be completed by early 2020. The Australian Government has committed up to $397.9 million to the Bruce Highway — Mackay Ring Road — Stage 1 project, with the Queensland Government committing up to $99.4 million.

(Reference: Prime Mover Magazine, Queensland freight road to receive $400m upgrade, March, 15th 2017)

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The 2016 DHL Export Barometer indicates that trade between Australia and New Zealand is likely to continue on the ongoing growth path, with 50 per cent of Aussie exporters expecting demand of export orders to NZ increase in the next 12 months.

Growth outlook for both North America and China is slightly more optimistic, with up to 60 per cent exporters expecting export orders to both regions to increase in the next one year.

The report also reveals that up to 59 per cent Australian exporters perceive China as one of the biggest competitive threats, followed by the United States (29 per cent), India (14 per cent), and the United Kingdom and New Zealand last on the list (12 per cent each).

“Australia and New Zealand have traditionally been very significant trading partners and we have seen very solid growth in shipment volume over the past five years, with double digit volume growth,” Edstein says.

AusTrade data had earlier reported that Australia-New Zealand trade increased at an annual rate of approximately eight per cent since the implementation of the ongoing Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA).

“While exporters see a lot of opportunities in North America and Asia, New Zealand remains one of our most popular trading partners and continues to be an important source of revenue for Australian businesses,” Edstein says.

“The free trade agreement has proven to provide a range of benefits including the smooth transition of goods.

“With comparable markets and business cultures, Australia and New Zealand make ideal export destinations for small and medium-sized businesses that are starting to export internationally.”

(Reference: Australian Transport News, Australian Export Confidence Strong: Report, May 11^th 2017).

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‘Logistics – Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014 – 2022’ projects a CAGR of 3.48% from 2016 to 2022, with Asia-Pacific dominating the global market in terms of revenue – accounting for more than a 34 per cent share of the global market. China accounts for about a 59 per cent share in the Asia-Pacific logistics market.

In 2014, the roadway segment dominated the global logistics market in terms of revenue, and it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.33 per cent during the forecast period. The manufacturing segment dominated the global logistics market, accounting for about 26 per cent share in 2014.

“Roadways are one of the key components of modes of transportation and multimodal transport. It accounts for nearly 47.29 per cent of the overall mode of transportation used in the world logistics market. The segment contributed highest share in total logistics market owing to its speed transportations and flexibility.”

Reference: Logistics Magazine, 26^th March 2017, Global logistics market worth $16,063bn by 2022.

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