The season will apply to goods shipped between 1 September 2022 and 30 April 2023.

Indications are that the fluidity of the FCL and LCL rates and the period needed to secure bookings will continue through to 2024.

We are seeing some positive signs of change in Shanghai with residents being allowed out of their homes and many are hopeful of a return to offices around mid June.

In much welcomed news we are starting to see some rate relief on the CN to AU trade lane. However delays are still being experienced globally.

The Chinese Government is pursuing a COVID zero policy and have locked significant areas of Shanghai impacting both air and sea freight movements.

These constant increases have been driven by the global supply chain disruptions, due to the pandemic, port closures, congestion and more recently the Ukraine crisis.

Please be advised that China has been declared an emerging risk country for BMSB for the remainder of the 2021-22 BMSB season.

Air freight cargo capacity is going to continue to be very tight throughout 2022 and indications are that rates will remain on the high side.

Australia and the UK have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) claimed to be the most comprehensive free agreement that Australia has concluded other than with New Zealand.