SIMIC

DELAYS at DP World's four terminals in Australia are growing due to renewed labour disputes, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.

This unrest follows the port operator's announcement of implementing more flexible working hours, including weekends.



This development marks the end of 15 months of relative peace on Australian waterfronts, which began after the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) signed multi-year pay and conditions agreements with major terminal operators, including DP World in mid-2022.



Currently, DP World is experiencing significant delays, with vessels taking seven to eight days to complete their operations, compared to the usual two-day turnaround.



The ongoing union actions have led to DP World's inability to provide adequate time slots for container loading, causing export containers to miss their cutoff times and resulting in cargo roll-overs.



In response to these challenges, Maersk has had to adjust its port schedules, including those in Melbourne, and seek alternative terminals.



The MUA has engaged in daily two-hour stoppages at DP World's Australian terminals since the dispute began in early October. In a significant escalation, the union has announced a series of one-day strikes at all of DP World's terminals across the country, set to continue until at least November 6.



Cargo owners are grappling with additional delays, as the one-day strikes this week specifically target the loading and unloading of trucks and trains, effectively halting cargo movement in and out of DP World's terminals in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle.