The latest round of industrial action at some of Australia’s ports has been resolved, but it could still see the delay of new cars being delivered to customers.
Earlier this week, strikes by Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) workers at ports operated by Qube – including Port Kembla, Fremantle, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne – temporarily halted the importation of approximately 35,000 new vehicles.
This followed protected industrial action (PIA) by the union which had been in place for months.
Carmakers such as Toyota, Ford, Kia, Suzuki and BYD confirmed to CarExpert that they were impacted by the industrial action, however specific timing delays haven’t yet been reported.
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However, Daily Cargo News reports the MUA has ended its industrial action against Qube as of this morning, which was welcomed by the port operator.
“The cessation of the CFMEU’s months long industrial relations campaign will be welcome news for the very many industries, customers and communities that have experienced significant disruptions since the middle of last year,” a Qube spokesperson told Daily Cargo News.
“We look forward to ports and our workforce around the country now returning to full operation.”
The industrial action saw around a dozen ships transporting new vehicles forced to either remain idle outside ports on Australian’s eastern seaboard or be rerouted to unaffected ports at different parts of the country, causing knock-on effects due to their delayed return and restocking at departure ports.
The Australian reported earlier this week Qube stevedores at some of the nation’s biggest wharves are asking for improved conditions and a 25 per cent pay increase for annual salaries averaging $128,000.
Shipping Australia CEO Captain Melwyn Noronha told Daily Cargo News the end of the industrial action is welcome not only for the industry but the wider public.
“We are pleased to see that the PIA will be withdrawn. Resumption of the movement of cargo can only be to the benefit of everyday Australian families if they can now get their essential goods delivered,” said Captain Noronha.
“We hope that the parties can now move forward to an equitable and amicable deal to allow vital supply chain business to resume as normal.”
The limited-time industrial action could still result in a delay in deliveries of vehicles, given the backlog of ships coming into ports.
An industry insider told CarExpert on the condition of anonymity: “This is one of those stories where media outlets won’t realise how big of a s*&#storm this is until people start complaining on Facebook where their car is.
“We are at the start of a three-month s*&#show and potentially chronic car shortages.
“Calculate all the ships waiting to dock. And then calculate all the subsequent shipments they are running late for once they leave here empty. Shipping companies will prioritise other countries and make Australian suppliers pay a premium [to ship cars here] because of the high risk of disruption.
“We are being held to ransom. In Australia the pirates are on the docks, not on the water.”
Experts have previously predicted Australia’s new vehicle deliveries will slow down in 2025 compared to the record high of 2024, as supply has finally caught up with – and exceeded – demand.
MORE: Vehicle shipping crisis to extend new car delivery times in Australia
