Port of Melbourne Operations Pty Ltd has managed the commercial port under a 50-year lease since 2016, and is responsible for planning, developing and managing port land and shipping channels

A port trade update has revealed that container traffic at Australia's Port of Melbourne rose by 13.1% year on year to 323,000 TEU in August 2026, which is an increase of about 38,000 TEU.  Full container imports, excluding Bass Strait traffic, increased by 11.2% to 129,000 TEU, while full exports rose by 12.9% to 63,000 TEU. 

Increase in transhipment volumes 

Transhipment volumes increased by 56.1% to reach 23,000 TEU. Meanwhile, Bass Strait container traffic increased by 3.5% to 28,000 TEU, and empty-container movements, excluding those in the Bass Strait, rose by 11.3% to 81,000 TEU.  The detailed monthly figures show that the total throughput in August was 323,301 TEU, comprising 234,543 TEU of full containers and 88,758 TEU of empties. These figures cover vessels departing the port between 1 and 31 August, excluding Station Pier.

Related: Port of Melbourne records trade in FY25, handling approximately $154bn in trade.

Container traffic in the first two months of the port’s 2027

In the first two months of the port’s 2027 financial year, container traffic reached 608,000 TEU, which is 5.7% higher than in the same period a year earlier.  Full imports increased by 4.9% to 239,000 TEU, full exports rose by 1.8% to 120,000 TEU, and transhipments climbed by 50.5% to 45,000 TEU.  

Non-containerised trade In August

In August, non-containerised trade totalled 2.31 million revenue tonnes, marking a 13.1% year-on-year increase.  Traffic of motor vehicles rose by 33.9% to 847,000 revenue tonnes; dry bulk increased by 56.7% to 577,000 revenue tonnes; and breakbulk climbed by 37.1% to 89,000 revenue tonnes. Meanwhile, liquid bulk fell by 26.3% to 460,000 revenue tonnes.  

Port of Melbourne Operations Pty Ltd

Port of Melbourne Operations Pty Ltd has managed the commercial port under a 50-year lease since 2016, and is responsible for planning, developing and managing port land and shipping channels.  In the financial year ending June 2026, Port of Melbourne handled 3.52 million TEU, marking its second consecutive year of record container throughput.

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