Australian firms introduced new Asian export service

Businesses will be able to import small volumes of goods through Darwin, Australia to Asia under an initiative by Adelaide-based logistics company Northline, the Advertiser reported.

From next month, Northline will accept loads that are less than a container load in volume for the Asia route.

Previously, freight has arrived only on a full container load basis, making importing products either intermittent or unaffordable for many businesses.

“To date, the only way to get shipments from China to Darwin has been on a full container load basis, so if a business in the Northern Territories required a spare part from Asia, the only options were to order it via east coast ports and road-freight it to Darwin or to have it air-freighted if it was urgent,'' Northline chief executive officer Craige Whitton said.

On May 20, the first ship offering the service will leave Shanghai bound for Hong Kong and Darwin.

Initially the fortnightly service will only operate for imports with little demand for small volume exports.

However, Northline will monitor demand for the potential to expand to a two-way service in future.

Source: Cargo News Asia