Container stevedores are charging record prices and delivering historic profits despite spare port capacity and largely stable costs and productivity according to a report from the consumer watchdog.
The ACCC found industry profits rose for a fifth consecutive year in 2024–25, reaching record highs across most measures. Stevedores are now charging a higher total real price per container than at any point since monitoring began 27 years ago.
Using total real revenue per container lift as a proxy for price, the ACCC reports an increase of $21.93 (5.5 per cent) in 2024–25 and $68.88 (19.4 per cent) since 2019–20, taking the figure to a record $423.11 per container.
Profitability has also surged.
Over the past five years, real operating profit (EBITDA) increased by $457.8 million (130.5 per cent) to $808.6 million in 2024–25, operating margins climbed to 34.8 per cent, and returns on average tangible assets reached 45 per cent.
The ACCC found stevedoring profitability in 2024 exceeded that of the broader transport sector across all metrics assessed.
“These are very high short-run returns for an industry with significant spare capacity at ports, stable costs and stable productivity,” said ACCC Commissioner, Anna Brakey.
“Typically, we would expect excess terminal capacity to place downward pressure on prices and profits. That is not what we are seeing.”
For the road freight sector, the ACCC said rising landside charges are the key driver. Fees paid by transport operators to collect or drop off containers have grown from a minor revenue stream to a major profit contributor.
In 2024–25, landside charges accounted for 49.5 per cent of stevedore revenue, or $1.15 billion – almost matching the industry’s total investment over the past eight years. More than $642 million came from terminal access charges alone, previously described as infrastructure levies.
“Since 2017, stevedores have collected over $3 billion in terminal access charges,” said Brakey.
“We are concerned these charges can be increased independently of underlying market conditions.”
The ACCC warned these unavoidable costs hit trucking companies first, before being passed on to importers, exporters and ultimately consumers. With similar charges across terminals and limited ability to switch stevedores, competitive pressure is weak.
Targeted government policy or regulatory reform is likely needed to address apparent market failures and improve the container freight supply chain, a report finding with direct implications for transport operators already facing rising operating costs.
The ACCC has monitored container stevedoring since 1998–99 across the ports of Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney.
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