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.
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.
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.
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.
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.