AU - Extended Australian Border Force (ABF) Border Holds – Ongoing Impact January 2026

We wish to share an FYI update following recent industry feedback regarding extended Australian Border Force (ABF) border holds, which are currently impacting both sea and air freight consignments across Australia.

Industry body IFCBAA has advised that, while border holds are a normal part of the clearance process, members are reporting that both the volume and duration of holds since December are exceeding typical operational expectations, with some shipments held for multiple weeks.

Observed Impacts

Extended ABF holds are resulting in material impacts across supply chains, including:

• Increased costs, such as:

  • Demurrage and detention

  • Terminal and airline storage charges

• Supply chain disruption, including:

  • Missed delivery windows

  • Inability to fulfil customer orders or contracts

  • Exposure to late-delivery penalties

  • Risk of loss of future business

Please note that these costs cannot be recovered from ABF and ultimately remain the responsibility of the importer.

Industry Engagement

IFCBAA has formally raised concerns with ABF to better understand the drivers behind the extended timeframes, including whether they are due to increased demand or broader operational or system constraints.

While ABF is unable to intervene in individual cases, IFCBAA continues to engage with ABF on behalf of industry and will provide updates as further information becomes available.

Important Clarifications

• Shipments subject to ABF border, redline, or examination holds cannot be expedited by customs brokers or freight forwarders.

• ABF does not provide estimated release timeframes for held cargo.

• All brokers and forwarders are subject to the same constraints while cargo remains under ABF control.

• Any demurrage, detention, storage, or related costs incurred during a border hold remain the responsibility of the importer.

Customer Guidance

We recommend:

• Factoring potential clearance delays into supply chain planning

• Managing downstream customer expectations accordingly

• Escalating issues through standard channels where appropriate

KLN will continue to monitor developments and provide updates should the situation change.