Warning! The dock is closed! 30,000 containers stranded!

Recently, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the operations of Australia's second largest port operator "Australian Global Ports" have been suspended due to a cyber security incident.

This means that nearly 30,000 containers will be stranded at the port.

There have been workers' strikes at Australian ports before, and now they are facing cyber attacks, which is undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Australian ports.

Ports attacked by hackers

After the cyber attack, Australia's second largest port operator stated that from the 10th, the group's port cargo transportation in major cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane will be severely affected.

Subsequently, the group stated that it was testing the operation of the cargo system and it was unclear when the port would resume normal operations.

DP World, the giant that suffered the cyber attack this time, controls a large share of Australia's shipping, accounting for 40% of Australia's container shipping volume.

Currently, all that can be done at the port is unloading and loading, but the containers cannot leave the warehouse because the technical system that allows trucks to share data with dock workers is shut down.

This means trucks cannot enter DP World's terminals to pick up or unload containers.

At the same time, according to Agence France-Presse, executives of Australia's Global Port Group previously said that the company's cooperation with cybersecurity experts had made "significant progress."

We are testing the main systems for restoring shipments while assessing whether any personal information has been affected.

It is reported that cargo ships can still unload cargo, but trucks transporting containers cannot enter and leave the port normally. Subsequently, multiple Australian government departments and agencies held talks to continue discussing response measures.

The Australian police are currently investigating the cybersecurity incident, and operations at major ports will be restricted during the investigation.

According to Australian media reports, the terminal operator has not yet received a ransom demand, and no organization has claimed responsibility for this cyber attack.

In this regard, Australia's Global Port Group stated that after the network security incident, it had promptly cut off the network connection to prevent illegal intrusions.

Recently, Dubai World Ports, the parent company of Australian Ports Worldwide, notified the Australian government that the disruption to logistics services at the terminal may last for several days.

It is understood that Australia Global Port Group is Australia's second largest port operator, managing nearly 40% of Australia's inbound and outbound cargo.

The group has port operations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Fremantle and other places.

Port strike

Earlier, DP World Australia planned to increase terminal fees in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney by more than 50%, which angered port users.

Subsequently, the terminal operator issued a notice of intention to impose terminal user fees of 37.5% and 26.2% respectively on export and import cargo in Brisbane on January 1.

Melbourne's exports and imports of goods will rise by 52.5% and 21.2% respectively, and Sydney will rise by 38.8% and 25.5% respectively.

In response, CH Robinson Brisbane key account manager Nina-Christin Buelk said the planned price increase was "a robbery in broad daylight" and that Australia's charges were already "excessive".

Subsequently, Australia's DP World became embroiled in a labor dispute with the Australian Maritime Union, which ordered a series of 24-hour strikes that will last until the third week of November.

At the heart of the dispute is a proposal by the terminal operator for a flexible scheduling system, which it claims is "better suited to customer needs".

The Australian Maritime Union believes the list represents a significant increase in weekend working hours for its members, effectively equivalent to a 32 per cent reduction in wages.

The company countered by asking for a 7.4% pay increase to mirror the increase offered by rival Patrick earlier this year.

According to DP World, the strike action has caused serious delays and disruptions to Australia's import and export of goods. Normally, it takes only two days to unload a ship's cargo, but now it takes seven to eight days.

Separately, the union stressed that disruption and delays caused by strike action and the like will have a "worrying impact on countless families across the country, especially at a critical time in preparation for the holidays".

In this regard, DP World Australia believes that the union has always taken a firm stance and requires that all conditions be met, which will bring huge financial pressure to the company.

This may in turn impact our customers and Australia's logistics network, and ultimately the general Australian population.

We would like to remind cargo owners and forwarders who have recently shipped goods to Australia to pay close attention to the delays and impacts of cyber attacks and strikes on cargo transportation to avoid unnecessary losses!