City Link Toll Increase for Transport Vehicles as from 1st April 2017

Industry update: Melbourne Both State Government and Transurban (Citylink) have reached an agreement to raise truck tolls, effective 1st April 2017. Transport operators are expected to face an increase of up to 225% in Toll fees for FCL transport, when traveling from the Port of Melbourne to various suburbs via the Citylink, including freight moving to and from the North/West via the Bolte Bridge and Tullamarine Freeway. Transport operators will add this increase to their… Read more »


DP World Wharf Infrastructure Surcharge Fee – Sydney and Melbourne

Industry alert A considerable increase in the INFRASTRUCTURE FEE, currently charged by DP World container terminal in Melbourne, and the introduction of the same at the Sydney terminal is proposed, effective 3rd April 2017. (No change in Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth at this point in time.) These fees are currently paid by the FCL carriers who handle the container retrievals, to which a small administration element is added, before they pass on the charge. Protest… Read more »


GST Low Value Goods Bill 2017

Industry News: As of the 1st July 2017, import consignments with a calculated import value of up to AUD1000.00, will be subject to 10% GST Tax. GST is calculated :-  10% X (CIF Shipment Value + Import Duty if applicable). The Bill is before the Parliament and has a provision to start on the first day of the GST “quarter” after Royal Assent, but the intention is 1 July. Australian consumers purchasing overseas goods online… Read more »


Certificates of Origin – China/Australia Free Trade Agreement

Further to our recent post, PLEASE NOTE: “Only Certificates of Origin (COO’s) issued from 20 December 2015 onwards will be accepted by China.” (See Seeking preferential rates before entry into force on page 13 of the guide-to-using-chafta-to-export-and-import-goods). For importers to Australia, the China Council contact details/references to pass onto your supplier/s for enquiries and to organise CHINA FTA certificates are: General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) The China Council for… Read more »


ChAFTA / China – Australia Free Trade Agreement Update

The Free Trade Agreement between Australia and China will NOW commence on 20 December 2015, bringing with it an immediate round of tariff cuts and a further round of cuts on 1 January 2016. With short notice of commencement, importers and exporters need to act quickly to prepare. We are monitoring via Customs of all  further advices to this FTA and will notify all accordingly in regards to specific import duty rate amendments and or… Read more »


Department of Agriculture – Import declaration processing fees

Please note effective Friday January 1st  2016 Department of Immigration and Border Protection (Australian Customs) import declaration processing fees will be adjusted.  Please refer to this link for details, Australian Border and Protection – Compile fees for jan 2016 Also please note effective Tuesday December 1st, 2015 Department of Agriculture & Water Resources import declaration processing fees have been adjusted.  Please refer to this link for details, DAFF – Quarantine import declarations new… Read more »


Possible Delays Tianjin Port – Explosion at Port

On August 12th at around 11:30pm local China time, there was a huge explosion at Tianjin,China port. Vessel movements have been affected. If you currently have a shipment at Tianjin/Xingang port which needs to be arranged or you require assistance, please contact us. Sincerely, The OCAM Global Logistics Team


What you need to know about the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA)

Commentary from Hunt & Hunt Lawyers The China Australia Free Trade Agreement was signed recently, meaning the wording is now finalised and can be released to the public. We can now review the tariff commitments and inform clients what will be the preferential duty rate if they meet the applicable rules of origin. Below we set out 7 key points we have identified from the 1000 page agreement: 1.       Certificate of origin – Imports into… Read more »


Agreement reached at West Coast Ports

Please note that on Friday February 20, 2015, US Labor Secretary Thomas Perez announced that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) reached a new 5 year agreement. The agreement is still conditional on all local unions approving the terms over the next few weeks. So until signed by all parties, the deal is not yet official. However, with the pending agreement in place, the work to clear the backlog… Read more »