The Port of Melbourne handled 300,000 TEUs of total container trade in May 2026, up 2.4 per cent year-on-year (YoY), representing an additional 7,000 TEUs compared with May 2025.
Full imports excluding Bass Strait rose 7.5 per cent to 119,000 TEUs, while full exports increased 9.7 per cent to 60,000 TEUs. Transhipment volumes also strengthened, rising 22 per cent to 20,000 TEUs.
Bass Strait trade grew 5.1 per cent year-on-year to 22,000 TEUs. Empty container movements were the only major contraction in the container segment, falling 12.4 per cent to 79,000 TEUs.
On a financial year-to-date basis, total container throughput reached 3.22 million TEUs, up 3.5 per cent YoY, equivalent to 109,000 TEUs.
Imports for the year to date increased 3.7 per cent to 1.28 million TEUs, while exports edged down 0.3 per cent to 634,000 TEUs.
READ: Port of Melbourne hits 3.5 million TEUs in 2025
Transhipment volumes declined 6.4 per cent to 166,000 TEUs, while Bass Strait trade rose 3.5 per cent and empty containers increased 8.2 per cent.
Non-container trade also posted strong growth in May, rising 14.5 per cent year-on-year to 2.32 million revenue tonnes.
For the financial year to date, total non-container trade rose 1.2 per cent to 22.81 million revenue tonnes.
For more information:
Port of Melbourne – https://www.portofmelbourne.com/
