Why Transport Costs Are Rising in 2026 – And What It Means for Prices and Inflation
Transport costs in Australia are rising in 2026, and this time it isn’t driven by a single disruption or short-term volatility.
What’s happening is a structural reset across the freight ecosystem. Port access charges, tolling infrastructure, container logistics, and compliance-related services have all shifted at the same time. These changes are permanent, largely unavoidable, and affect every business that relies on container transport services to move physical goods.
This isn’t a spike that corrects itself next quarter. It’s a higher baseline cost of moving freight.
This article explains what’s driving those increases, how the costs compound across the supply chain, and why they ultimately show up in inflation and the price of imported goods.
Key Takeaways (For Time-Poor Readers)
Transport cost increases in 2026 are structural, not temporary
Port and terminal charges are up 7%–14%
Empty container park fees have risen 10%–40% since early 2025
Toll exposure has expanded, with new per-trip costs in the west and higher costs in the north and east
Fumigation and biosecurity services have risen 15%–20%
These increases compound and flow into landed costs and inflation
Why 2026 Is Structurally Different From Previous Cost Cycles
Historically, transport costs moved in cycles. Fuel rose and fell. Congestion eased. Capacity returned.
2026 is different.
Many of the cost pressures now affecting transport are structural rather than cyclical. They are fixed, infrastructure-based, and mandated. Once introduced, they don’t roll back when conditions improve.
That means efficiency alone no longer offsets these increases. Even well-run, highly optimised operations face higher costs because the system itself has changed.
Port and Terminal Charges: A Higher Baseline for Every Container
Port terminal booking and infrastructure charges have increased across the system in the range of 7% to 14% year-on-year.
These charges apply to every container movement, import or export. They are fixed access costs tied to port infrastructure, not influenced by routing or fleet efficiency.
If a container passes through the port system, these costs apply. Once embedded, these fees permanently lift the baseline cost of port-side transport and flow into every downstream movement. In practical terms, these increases directly impact import and export wharf cartage regardless of container size or delivery profile.
Empty Container Parks: One of the Largest Percentage Movers
Empty container parks are a critical but often overlooked part of the container cycle.
From early 2025 to the start of 2026, booking and handling fees at these facilities have increased by approximately 10% to 40%, depending on timing, facility, and service type.
These increases reflect industrial land constraints near port precincts, higher compliance and operating costs, and rising demand for limited booking windows. Because every import container must be dehired and positioned as part of the container lifecycle, these costs are unavoidable and apply regardless of carrier or volume.
This makes empty container park costs one of the most significant contributors to overall freight cost escalation over the past 12 to 18 months.
Tolls and Road Infrastructure: Costs Now Vary by Melbourne Corridor
One of the most material changes entering 2026 is how toll costs now apply differently depending on where freight moves across Melbourne.
For movements servicing Melbourne’s west, container transport has shifted from no toll exposure to consistent toll application. For trips using newly tolled western corridors, the per-movement toll impact typically sits between $60 and $70, depending on routing and access points. This represents a structural change, introducing a cost that did not exist previously.
For freight movements servicing Melbourne’s north and east, toll exposure already existed prior to 2026. However, toll pricing across these corridors has increased in the range of 8% to 15%, depending on route and travel profile. These increases compound existing toll costs rather than replacing them.
Across all corridors, toll pricing is set by infrastructure authorities, applies to all heavy vehicles, and is largely unavoidable without significant detours, time loss, or port congestion. As a result, tolls have become a predictable but permanent per-trip cost across a much wider portion of Melbourne’s freight network, affecting many container movements each day.
Fumigation and Biosecurity: Mandatory Costs Moving Higher
Fumigation and biosecurity services have also increased heading into 2026.
Across affected services, costs have risen in the range of 15% to 20%. These increases are driven by higher treatment costs, stricter compliance requirements, and increased labour and safety obligations.
Not every container is affected. But where fumigation is required, the cost is mandatory and time-sensitive, and must be absorbed into the total landed cost of the goods.
Why These Costs Add Up Faster Than Expected
The real impact isn’t any single increase. It’s how they stack.
A typical container movement in 2026 may now include port and terminal charges up 7%–14%, empty container park fees up 10%–40%, toll exposure of $60–$70 in the west or 8%–15% increases in the north and east, and compliance services up 15%–20%.
Individually, each increase may look manageable. Together, they materially change the cost of moving the same container over the same distance.
These increases also add to the broader factors that influence container transport costs across the supply chain.
How Transport Costs Flow Into Inflation and Prices
Transport sits inside the cost of almost every imported good.
When freight costs rise, landed costs increase first. Those increases then flow into wholesale pricing, inventory holding costs, and eventually retail prices. Because these changes are structural rather than temporary, businesses cannot simply wait them out.
Over time, sustained increases in transport costs contribute directly to broader inflation by lifting the base cost of moving goods through the economy.
What Businesses Should Expect Going Forward
The defining feature of 2026 is not volatility, but a higher and more stable cost base.
Businesses that adapt most effectively will focus on transparency rather than headline rates, plan pricing with longer-term assumptions, and engage earlier around structural changes. Efficiency still matters, but it can no longer eliminate costs that are now embedded into infrastructure and compliance frameworks.
This makes planning around port delays and cost exposure more important than ever, especially for businesses with time-sensitive import and export requirements.
Final Thoughts
Transport costs are rising in 2026 because the freight ecosystem itself has changed. Clear expectations, realistic planning, and an understanding of how these costs are structured will matter more than chasing short-term savings in a permanently higher-cost environment.
