Hot Off The Docks.

Weekly Freight Gossip | 8th October 2025

When your port fees go up faster than your blood pressure at month-end… welcome to global logistics, darling.

Over in Chittagong, shipping lines have done what they do best: passed the buck. After the local port authority hiked tariffs, carriers promptly increased their fees because apparently “shared pain” is now a business model.

🔗 https://lnkd.in/dvAhpG2Q

Meanwhile, the latest data out of China shows softening spot rates and carriers fighting for cargo like it’s a Black Friday sale. Expect a little rate whiplash before Christmas as blank sailings and “emergency surcharges” start creeping back into play.

But the real gossip? The Aussie scene is serving chaos and comeback energy in equal measure 👇

🇦🇺 Glencore’s Mount Isa smelter just scored a $600M lifeline from the federal and QLD governments - keeping critical minerals flowing and a chunk of the supply chain alive. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dM4h8756

⚓ Flinders Port is going full glow-up with a $390M upgrade at Outer Harbor - bigger berths, smarter systems, and cranes that actually keep up with 2025.

🔗 https://lnkd.in/gfEuSnHi

🦠 Cyberattacks are creeping into supply chains - nearly one-third of Aussie execs report increased breaches in the past six months. Your supplier might be the weakest link, not your firewall. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d9eV4ekw

So while freight rates flirt with collapse and port upgrades promise progress, remember: the real action isn’t on the water, it’s in the data, energy, and policy battles behind it all.

Because in this industry… even when the rates drop, the drama never does. 💋

📣 What’s the biggest curveball you’ve seen in your supply chain this month? Drop it in the comments... we might feature it in next week’s Hot Off the Docks.