INDUSTRY bodies say their people are paying the price for higher stevedore profits.
As reported in Daily Cargo News, the ACCC this week released its Container Stevedoring Monitoring Report highlighting record profits and calling for targeted reform.
Container Transport Alliance Australia director Neil Chambers highlighted implications of the report for the landside sector, noting that “lift” revenue collected from shipping lines (or quayside revenue) had fallen by 0.4% in 2024/25.
In contrast, landside and other revenue per lift rose by 12.2%.
“This continues the trend from previous ACCC reports that all revenue increases have been derived from landside charges, not from charging shipping lines more for terminal services,” Mr Chambers said.
In statement, the Freight and Trade Alliance which manages secretariat for the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) noted stevedoring operating profits rose to $808.6 million in 2024–25, representing a 130.5 per cent increase over five years.
It also noted the ACCC found these outcomes were not driven by rising costs or improved efficiency, with stevedore costs having remained broadly stable without sustained improvements in productivity.
“The ACCC has now confirmed what industry has been warning about for years,” said FTA freight policy and operations general manager Tom Jensen.
“Stevedores are ramping up prices in an environment where costs are stable, productivity has gone nowhere, and terminals are sitting on spare capacity.”
Daily Cargo News sought comment on the report from key stevedores however none took up the opportunity by the time of publication on Friday afternoon AEDST.
In an earlier statement, prior to the report’s distribution, Patrick Terminals chief executive Michael Jovicic, said they were “proud of the market leading services we provide to our customers in a highly complex, interconnected global supply chain”.
“Our investment has enabled major supply chain cost savings and the next wave of planned investment will deliver further benefits,” Mr Jovicic said.
“We will continue to engage with industry on enhancing our service offering over the coming period.”
The full report can be read here.