The Year That Was – The Highs and Lows of 2022 in the Shipping Industry

The end of the year is generally a time of reflection, and as we look back on the past 12 months, it’s impossible to miss some significant differences in how the shipping and logistics industry started the year, compared to how we are ending it. 2022 has been a year of ‘returning to normal’ as […]
Why Falling Freight Rates Won’t Mean Cheaper Goods This Christmas

Despite the shipping freight rates continuing to plummet around the world, at the risk of being the Christmas Grinch, businesses and consumers shouldn’t yet be expecting more money in their hip pocket. We’ve seen staggering declines in freight rates in recent months, from a high of around $US11,000 per 40ft in September last year, to […]
Why it’s Time to Stop Ignoring Australia’s Supply Chain Workers

As skills shortages continue to dominate most, if not all sectors of the Australian economy, it’s more important than ever to ensure our supply chain is well resourced, in order to avoid a return to the significant delays and congestion of previous years. I think it’s fair to say that before the pandemic started to […]
International Business Awards

It was Saturday the 15th of October 2022, the 19th Annual International Business Awards® were held at the Intercontinental Park Lane in London, UK. What a night it was!  This competition was open to all organisations worldwide and attracted more than 3,700 nominations from 67 countries. Winners in the 2022 International Business Awards® were determined […]
How Workplace Initiatives Have Made a Great Team Even Better

12 months in business can be both a long time and manage to disappear in the blink of an eye, and with September marking the first anniversary of our staff recreation space, it’s come around quicker than we imagined. The rec space was developed in consultation with staff, kitted out with gym equipment, yoga mats, […]
Australian Small Business Champions

EES Shipping was name Champion Transport and Logistics at the Australian Small Business Awards Ceremony held in Sydney with over 1,000 guests in attendance including Glenn Hack and Natalie Lu, representing the EES Team.  Now in it’s 24th year, the Australian Small Business Champion Awards is the only national recognition program for Australian Small Business, […]
The Hidden Cost of Automation to Businesses

As a small-business, we are well aware of the various costs required to operate, however an area which is starting to have an increased impact is automation – with many businesses likely finding that what they might save in terms of time and labour, is quickly eaten up in terms of cost. There is no […]
Why the Cost of Shipping is Continuing to Rise – and What You Can do About it.

If you’ve been involved in importing any item in recent months, it’ll come as no surprise to you hear that the cost of shipping is rising – and unfortunately, we at EES Shipping expect this to continue for at least the short term. While freight rates have softened from the highs seen at the peak […]
The Weird and Wonderful Items You Didn’t Realise Are Being Regularly Shipped

In recent months, as consumers refreshed tracking numbers for their online shopping purchases and waited for supermarket shelves to restock amid chronic supply chain congestion, a dodgem car ride never before seen in WA slipped quietly into Fremantle Port. The Dodgem Drift 2 was imported for local company Carnival Amusements with the help of freight […]
How Buying a Beer Can Provide Flood Relief in the Eastern States

What do you get when you cross a freight forwarder, a wholesale distributor and a couple of brewing companies? A new beer and a great way to raise much-needed funds for flood-impacted businesses in the eastern states. No, it’s not a joke, we at EES Shipping have joined forces with Bintani Australia, Shelter Brewing, Wayward […]
Why it’s Important to Know Exactly What’s Happening Within the Shipping Industry

We’re a third of the way through the year, and it’s fair to say there’s still a lot going on within the shipping industry in 2022. Perhaps the most obvious issue is ongoing delays and congestion, with continuing instances of shipping schedules not being adhered to. However, while our clients might be able to understand […]
How a Lack of Workers is Impacting the Supply-Chain’s Final Mile

I think we’re all acutely aware of the ongoing delays and congestion within the shipping industry, however a fresh problem is now upon us as a shortage of skilled workers, vaccine mandates and COVID cases in the eastern states creates new delays along the ‘Final Mile’ – the distance from the Port to the client. […]
Why Industry Needs to Get Involved in the Productivity Commission’s Supply-Chain Inquiry.

Amid the festivity of December, and the continuing chaos within the supply-chain, you may have missed that the Productivity Commission announced an inquiry into Australia’s Maritime Logistics System. The inquiry will look at long-term trends, structural changes and impediments within the nation’s maritime logistic system and connected supply-chains. It will also look to identify any […]
We’re Saying Goodbye to 2021, But is it Goodbye to Shipping Delays?

With 2022 now just days away, it’s wishful thinking to expect the delays and congestion impacting the product supply chain will simply disappear once the clock strikes midnight on December 31. The reality is we have a huge task ahead of us to overcome the problems facing the industry, but if we at EES Shipping […]
Patrick Terminals – MUA Nationwide Strikes in the Pre-Christmas Peak Period

Patrick Terminals have advised CTAA (Container Transport Alliance Australia) of the latest notification regarding industrial action by the MUA (Maritime Union of Australia). Patrick Terminals have labelled the action as an “aggressive round of nationwide strikes during the peak pre-Christmas freight period.” The actions consist of strikes and work bans at Patrick Terminals in Sydney, Fremantle and […]
Change in delivery address (imports)

    Changes in delivery addresses for import cargo is under the spotlight today.  Your delivery address, the final destination where your cargo is to be delivered to, is one of the critical fields that is used by the Australian Border Force (ABF) when risk assessing your import cargo. Upon providing your import clearance documentation […]
Delays on Delays – Why Your New Laptop Might Not Make it Under the Christmas Tree.

A fresh problem is emerging from the ongoing global shipping delays, with some shipping lines now avoiding transporting hazardous cargo altogether. With congestion showing no signs of easing, and container space in more demand than ever before, dangerous goods are now becoming the items no one wants to move, with a number of shipping lines […]
When does a crisis become the new normal? The Five Stages of Shipping in 2021

If you’ve followed EES Shipping for a while now, you’ll know that the international shipping industry has undergone a major set of changes in the past 18 months. We’ve outlined a lot of those changes and what they mean for our clients and the broader public several times because we feel it’s important for everyone […]
Why You Need to Get Your Christmas Shopping Done Now – Yes Really

Whether you’re an importer, retailer or just someone who likes to get organised before the silly season, one of Australia’s leading freight forwarding companies is warning you to get on top of your Christmas plans now to avoid the pain and frustration experienced in 2020. I can’t quite believe I’m having to warn businesses and […]
Australian Businesses must get advice before paying ‘Priority Shipping Fees’ which have been introduced by shipping companies

As much as I’d like to be talking to you about settling into a calm ‘new normal’ in the world of the international shipping industry, sadly the only thing we can predict is how unpredictable things will be! As ports around the world continue to grapple with quarantines, working from home and shutdowns, the delays […]
Why 2021 Lunar New Year Didn’t Bring the Reprieve We Hoped For

By now, the shortages and delays plaguing the international shipping industry should be news to no-one. But if you’ve been living under a rock here’s a quick refresher! 2020 ushered in a year of impacts that hit ports and shipping lines around the globe. Remember that all too familiar word ‘unprecedented’? Yep, it sure was. […]
Labour Day Closure – 1st March

Please kindly note that EES Shipping will be closed on Monday 1st March for Labour Day. “The Labour Day holiday commemorates the granting of the eight hour working day to Western Australian workers.  It is held on the first Monday in March and today recognises the contribution of all working people to the prosperity of […]
How 2020 Has Affected the Shipping Industry

Barely anyone got through the year of upheaval that was 2020 unscathed, and the shipping and freight industry is no different. The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic hit our industry hard. As the disease took hold, every country around the world took a different approach to managing and suppressing the virus. Virtually no two […]
Festive Operating Hours 2020

Please note our office hours for the festive season: Friday 25/12 and Monday 28/12:  CLOSED Tues 29/12, Wed 30/12 & Thurs 31/12: OPEN Friday 01/01/2021: CLOSED Monday 04/01: REGULAR TRADING HOURS COMMENCE From all of us at EES Shipping, we appreciate your support the past year and extend to you and your families a Merry […]
Chinese New Year 2021

Chinese New Year is a fantastic time of the year. It’s full of colour, excitement and tradition. It is the time to eat, celebrate, cleanse your house, exchange gifts and watch the fireworks. But for the shipping industry it can be an extremely difficult time. With most suppliers, customs authorities and shipping lines closing for […]
Christmas and NYE Working Arrangements 2020

The hard-working crew at the Western Australia Port Operations Task Force (WAPOTF) have issued this years 2020 CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR WORKING ARRANGEMENTS. This shows both of the Fremantle Terminal Operating hours during the Christmas and New Year period along with depots, Australian Border Force as well as Quarantine. Please kindly contact our office for […]
OPINION – The Current State of Global Shipping Affairs

If you have been importing into Australia in the last six months you would have been witnessing a disturbing trend. Sky high freight rates that are continuing to climb – coupled with lack of equipment issues, unreliable schedules and huge landside delays is causing major frustration. Why are these issues happening now? One of the […]
Containers and Wine

We love looking at all the different uses for shipping containers. Today we are sharing this spectacular modification from Port Shipping Containers. This 40ft Container Wine Bar was built from a new High Cube Shipping Container, though we can build these from used containers if required. Designed to accommodate over a dozen guests, the space […]
Despite peace talks at Port Botany, container congestion remains critical

Box congestion at Sydney’s port Botany remains “critical”, with the continuing surplus of empty containers costing transport operators millions in extra logistics. While industrial action is currently on hold pending negotiations between the country’s three major stevedores and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), the bottleneck created last month could take months to clear. Neil Chambers, […]
MUA will immediately end industrial action at Patrick Terminals

Industry bodies have received advice from Patrick Terminals that after a day and half of talks at the FWC (Fair Work Commission), the MUA (Maritime Union of Australia) announced it would immediately end industrial action at Patrick terminals in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle. While providing a temporary reprieve to hopefully assist industry to recover […]
Queen’s Birthday Closure

We wish to advise that our office will be closed on Monday the 28th September in order to honour the Queen’s Birthday. We will re-open on Tuesday 29th September for all your shipping and logistics needs.
Australian Container Safety Launch

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA), Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA), and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA), have partnered with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to create the Safe Container Loading Practices & Heavy Vehicle Safety campaign. The campaign is part of the NHVR Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI) program funded by the Commonwealth […]
Cathay Pacific August Stats

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon carried a total of 102,122 tonnes of cargo and mail in August, a decrease of 36.7 per cent compared to the same month last year. August’s revenue freight tonne kilometres fell 30.3 per cent year on year. The cargo and mail load factor increased 14.2 percentage points to […]
Patrick Terminals Industrial Action Update

We have received an update that the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) have notified Patricks Terminals of its intention to take further Protected Industrial Action. The details of this action are listed below: FREMANTLE A ban on the performance of work on the vessel Swan River Bridge commencing at 12:01 am from Friday 11 September […]
Recent Khapra beetle interceptions in imported goods

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is currently managing and investigating several Khapra beetle interceptions in recently imported cargo and containers. Australia maintains a pest free status for Khapra beetle, a serious pest of stored grain and dried food products. The recent interceptions occurred in imported non-food goods, such as refrigerators, car parts, […]
Peak Season Prep 2020

Who can believe we’re already half way through 2020! What a year it has been. The second half of the year tends to be even faster (is that possible), so now is the time to start thinking of you planning for the Peak Season ahead. Keeping ahead of the rush is critical in ensuring that […]
Typhoon Season – China

The northwest Pacific is the most active tropical cyclone basin in the world, with nearly one third of all tropical cyclone activity forming there. This is due to the wide expanse of high sea surface temperatures. Each day, hundreds of ships sail through the waters of the northwest Pacific. Many are sailing to or from […]
Indonesia industrial park to spearhead bid to lure China supply chains

Indonesia plans to build one of its largest industrial parks on the north coast of Java island in a renewed drive to attract manufacturers relocating out of China, Reuters reports. The opportunities Southeast Asia’s biggest economy aims to exploit as it comes out of a Covid-19 lockdown. But Indonesia must overcome decades-old hurdles including red […]
#SeafarersAreKeyWorkers

The U.N. International Maritime Organization is highlighting the plight of seafarers on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic on this year’s annual Day of the Seafarer. Day of the Seafarer is celebrated each year on June 25 as a way to raise awareness about issues facing the maritime industry. This year the IMO has […]
Caution : Blank Sailings Ahead

Shipping lines have warned of a new wave of blank sailing announcements with the lead up to June / July.  
Freight Insurance

  Is insurance on your goods necessary? In a word, yes. Countless companies (especially those that have been importing for a long time) believe that they do not require insurance on their freight and adopt the “it’ll never happen to me” attitude. Unfortunately, in the world of importing and exporting, there are many scenarios that […]
Coronavirus Update 29th April

We’re sharing today the latest update on shipping and the coronavirus received from Freight & Trade Alliance. In terms of trade, indications are that low import volumes for May will extend possibly into June / July from China as well as reduced exports from the USA and Europe may further impact the freight and logistics industry. Unfortunately recent […]
ANZAC Day Closure

Please kindly be advised that EES Shipping will be closed on Monday the 27th April for ANZAC Day. We will re-open Tuesday the 28th April for all your shipping and logistic needs. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the […]
Boost for Exporters

New government funds have been rolled out to support exporters during the coronavirus outbreak. Federal Government has: increased the export market development grants (EDMG) scheme again, by almost $50 million; and, put forward $110 million to help agri-exporters freight goods. Export grants scheme bolstered The EDMG scheme helps exporters and tourism businesses access reimbursement for […]
ATO assistance during COVID-19

The Deputy Comptroller General (DCG), Bradley Armstrong , who heads the ABF Customs Group, which has been given the responsibility of taking the deferral of Duties / GST to Treasury and ATO. The DCG is encouraging importers to reach out to the ATO to explore arrangements that have been introduced during this difficult time. ABF […]
Easter Working Arrangements 2020

The Easter Operating Hours – 2020 for Fremantle Ports (and surrounds) have just been released. These have been collated by the W.A. Port Operations Task Force and include both Patricks and DP World, along with Quarantine and the Australian Border Force. Click on the following for the vessel schedule during this time – Easter Vessel […]
Coronavirus Response – To our valued clients

To our valued clients, As the situation caused by COVID-19 intensifies, we would like to take the opportunity to reach out and let you know how we plan on handling this period moving forward. Protecting the health of our workers whilst guaranteeing our services to our clients remains our top priority.　 We are currently in […]
Coronavirus Update 3

It was just a few days ago when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. The virus has found a foothold on every continent (with the exception of Antarctica). Governments worldwide are scrambling to protect their countries, introducing rarely seen border closures and mass gathering bans. These attempts are being made […]