The landside cost shift - a practical view from the supply chain
Posted by Paul Blake, 20 February, 2026
The debate around port productivity matters — but for Australian exporters and importers, the more pressing issue is how landside charges have quietly reshaped the cost of doing business. Over the past eight years, terminal access and empty container park fees have increased nearly ninefold, turning what were once minor administrative costs into significant margin pressures. The Australian Shippers Alliance examines whether the current landside cost architecture is delivering fair, competitive outcomes for Australian trade — and what a structured, evidence-based pathway forward might look like.
