NTC releases voluntary guidelines for stevedores and ECPs

NEW voluntary guidelines for landside stevedore charges and empty container park charges have been released by the National Transport Commission.

This follows reports from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Productivity Commission highlighting concerns about rising landside charges, fees transport operators pay to collect or drop off containers and supply chain bargaining power.

In a statement, the NTC noted containerised ports were a critical part of Australia’s international trade network, albeit the supply chain was complex with stevedores, container parks, transport operators, shipping lines and cargo owners all playing a role.

“To bring greater stability and predictability, Australia’s infrastructure and transport ministers asked the National Transport Commission to update the National Voluntary Guidelines for Landside Stevedore Charges to align with Victoria’s Voluntary Pricing Protocol (VPP) and to consider extending the guidelines to empty container parks,” the NTC said in a press release.

“Consultation with governments and stakeholders across the containerised freight supply chain, on proposed updates published earlier this year, helped shape the final guidelines.”

This was said to include more closely aligning requirements for stevedore and ECP operators and removing a proposed requirement for empty container park operators to provide confidential information to transport agencies.

The updated guidelines, approved by ministers, aim to make landside charges clearer and more predictable for freight operators. For participating operators, they will:

• improve transparency around landside charges

• Encourage clearer communication when charges change support agreement to limit price changes to once a year, on 1 January or the next business day.

NTC chief executive Michael M Hopkins said a more transparent and predictable approach to landside charges would “help to maximise freight productivity by lifting the efficiency of Australia’s container freight supply chains and will help businesses better understand and plan for the costs of moving Australia's containerised freight”.

The guidelines apply to charges levied on transport operators by stevedores and empty container parks, including those affiliated with intermodal terminals.

The updated guidelines are to commence on 1 January 2027.

According to the NTC, operators intending to apply the updated guidelines from this date will need to provide required notice by no later than 2 November 2026.