China to Australia freight rates and market updates — dated log 2026

In our quotation log for January to September 2026 the 20GP rate to Melbourne / Sydney / Brisbane ran from USD 1,450 – USD 2,400 per container across 29 quotations, loaded mainly at Shekou / Nansha. Other gateways priced in the same period: Sydney / Brisbane at USD 2,200; Sydney / Melbourne / Brisbane at USD 1,200 – USD 2,400; Melbourne at USD 1,600. Ocean freight is quoted port-to-port and the figure moves with the weekly GRI, peak-season surcharges and equipment availability, so treat it as a benchmark rather than a fixed tariff and confirm it against your cargo ready date.

The 40ft and 40HQ quotations we logged to Melbourne / Sydney / Brisbane in January to September 2026 ranged from USD 2,850 – USD 4,750 per container across 29 quotations. Other gateways priced in the same period: Sydney / Brisbane at USD 4,350; Sydney / Melbourne / Brisbane at USD 2,350 – USD 4,800. A 40ft high cube carries roughly twice the volume of a 20GP for well under twice the freight, so once your cargo passes about 28 CBM the 40HQ is normally the cheaper unit per cubic metre.

Yes. During 2026 we logged 23 offers to Australia where equipment or space was available to the desk while the carrier kept the freight rate on request (mostly to Melbourne / Sydney / Brisbane, Sydney / Melbourne / Brisbane, Sydney / Melbourne). That pattern usually means space is open but the tariff is being quoted case by case. Send your cargo ready date and we will come back with the vessel, the sailing and a named price.

Typical port-to-port sailing time from South China is 14 to 22 days; add three to seven days if the cargo loads in North China. Direct services beat transhipment routings by one to two weeks, and schedule reliability, blank sailings and port congestion all move the date. We confirm the actual ETD and ETA against your booking rather than quoting a standard transit time.

Ocean and rail figures are the port-to-port (or terminal-to-terminal) freight only. They exclude origin handling, export customs, THC and CFS, documentation, destination THC, import duty and final delivery, unless the row names a door-to-door or DDP service. Air figures are airport-to-airport per chargeable kilo and exclude pick-up and delivery. Every figure is indicative until it is confirmed against a specific vessel, flight or train and a cargo ready date.

Yes. LCL groupage is charged per revenue tonne (1 CBM or 1,000 kg, with volume weight taken if it is greater) plus fixed documentation and CFS charges, so it is usually the better option below roughly 15 CBM. Above that a 20GP starts to win on cost per cubic metre. Give us the volume, weight and cargo readiness and we will price both side by side for Australia.

Send the commodity, gross weight, volume, the pick-up city in China and the delivery address in Australia to sales007@goodhopefreight.com. We reply with the applicable service, the named vessel, flight or train, the cut-off and an all-in cost, usually the same working day. If you are weighing up routes, tell us the ready date and we will price sea, rail and air side by side.