The Voluntary Pricing Protocol has been developed in close consultation with port stevedores, transport bodies, the Port of Melbourne and Australia’s peak shipping body.
Port of Melbourne’s three stevedores, DP World, Patrick Terminals and VICT have all publicly expressed their commitment to following the Voluntary Pricing Protocol to increase notification for changes to stevedore terminal handing charges.
These guidelines apply to any proposed increases from 1 July 2020.
To receive emails on stevedore notifications under the Voluntary Pricing Protocol and other updates relating to the Voluntary Port Performance Model, please register by emailing freightvictoria@transport.vic.gov.au.
March 2022 update
The Victorian Voluntary Pricing Protocol is consistent with the National Transport Commission’s (NTC) national voluntary guidelines for landside stevedore charges(opens in a new window), which were released on 31 March 2022.
Given the consistency between the two voluntary schemes, DoT will continue to apply its Voluntary Pricing Protocol, noting that it provides additional detail on the timeframes and format of stakeholder engagement on stevedores’ proposed changes to landside terminal access charges.
DoT will undertake targeted stakeholder engagement on adopting the NTC’s guidelines noting that while the intent is the same, there are minor differences as outlined above.
January 2022 update
Following a review, the Voluntary Pricing Protocol now uses more simple language, excludes previous footnotes and provides greater clarity of process, action owners and timeframes.
These changes are consistent with current practice for the protocol, which includes process refinements from both the Department of Transport and stevedores as it has been developed.
All three stevedores are supportive of these changes.
Voluntary Pricing Protocol
The Voluntary Pricing Protocol specifies four stages of consultation on pricing changes:
- Stevedores must notify the Executive Director, Freight Victoria in DoT of the proposed pricing change 60 calendar days prior to the proposed implementation date. The stevedore’s 60-day notice to DoT must be accompanied by:
- Detailed reasons for the increase or introduction of pricing change, including all relevant supporting information or data and
- A link to the public notice on the stevedore’s website which includes:
- publicly available rationale for the price change
- the due date for industry feedback; and
- stevedore contact information.
- When DoT receives a 60-day notice from a stevedore, DoT will email its VPPM industry stakeholder list within one day to advise of the proposed pricing change. This email will include the link to the stevedore’s 60-day notice, the proposed date of change, closing date for industry feedback and the due date of the 30-day final notice.
- Both government and industry have 21 calendar days from the 60-day notice period to provide formal, written feedback direct to the stevedore on the proposed pricing change.
- Stevedores must issue a final notice of the pricing change to the Executive Director, Freight Victoria, which provides a link to the final notice on its website 30 calendar days prior to the proposed implementation date of the pricing change. When DoT receives the final, 30-day notice from a stevedore, DoT will email its VPPM industry stakeholder list within one calendar day to advise of the proposed pricing change. The stevedore’s final 30-day notice on its website must include:
- A summary of engagement themes received in writing from industry and government and
- Any response from the stevedore.
Definitions under the Voluntary Pricing Protocol:
- Stevedore terminal handling charges refers to all charges payable to stevedores in connection with the operation or provision of land-based facilities and services at stevedore terminals.
- Pricing change refers to both changes to existing charges and the introduction of new charges.
- All periods when specified in days refer to calendar days.
Stevedore notifications
DP World
Stevedore | DP World |
---|---|
Effective date | 1 January 2024 |
Rate type | West Swanson Terminal Carrier Access Public Tariff Schedule West Swanson Terminal Ancillary Charges |
60 days’ notice issue date to DTP (due date) | 31 October 2023 |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | Notification to Industry changes to terminal carrier access tariffs at DP World Australia (DPWA) Melbourne from 1 January 2024 |
Industry feedback themes | Please submit enquiries at VIC.landsidefeedback@dpworld.com.au |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 30 November 2023 |
Final industry notice |
Stevedore | DP World | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 2 February 2023 | |
Rate type | Increase landside charges and introduce an energy charge. In 2023, DP World is also intending to introduce a weight adjustment fee. | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 2 December | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | ||
Industry feedback themes | Please submit enquiries at VIC.landsidefeedback@dpworld.com.au | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 3 January 2023 | |
Final industry notice | Final Industry Notice(opens in a new window)
|
Stevedore | DP World | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 May 2021 | |
Rate type | Terminal access charge | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 3 March 2021 (due 2 March 2021) | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | 15 March 2021 (due 2 March 2021) | |
Industry feedback themes | TBC | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 27 March 2021 (due 1 April 2021) | |
Final industry notice |
Stevedore | DP World | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 January 2021 | |
Rate type | Carrier access public tariff schedule | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 2 November 2020 (due 2 November 2020) | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | N/A – commitment provided to transition to 60-day notice period | |
Industry feedback themes | TBC | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 20 November 2020 (due 2 December 2020) | |
Final industry notice | N/A |
Patrick Terminals
Stevedore | Patrick Terminals |
---|---|
Effective date | 4 March 2024 |
Rate type | Increase landside and ancillary charges |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 3 January 2024 |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | Patrick Terminal Notice to Customers |
Industry feedback themes | Refer to Patrick Terminal’s final industry notice, link below. |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 2 February 2024 |
Final industry notice | Patrick Terminals - Final Notice of changes(opens in a new window) |
Stevedore | Patrick Terminals | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 6 March 2023 | |
Rate type | Increase landside and ancillary charges | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 5 January 2023 | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | Patrick Terminal Notice to Customers(opens in a new window) | |
Industry feedback themes | Refer to Patrick Terminal’s final industry notice, link below. | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 3 February 2023 | |
Final industry notice | Final Industry Notice(opens in a new window) |
Stevedore | Patrick Terminals | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 March 2021 | |
Rate type | Landside charge at East Swanson Dock – VBS fees and import storage charges | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 10 December 2020 (due 31 December 2020) | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | N/A – commitment provided to transition to 60-day notice period | |
Industry feedback themes | TBC | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 29 January 2021 (due 30 January 2021) | |
Final industry notice |
Stevedore | Patrick Terminals | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 4 October 2021 | |
Rate type | Weight amendment fee | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 3 August 2021 (due 4 August 2021) | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | 3 August 2021(opens in a new window) (due 4 August 2021) Patrick Terminals previously advised of its intent to introduce the weight amendment fee on 5 November 2020(opens in a new window), with the date of introduction to the Port of Melbourne to be confirmed at the time of the notice release. | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 3 September 2021 (due 4 September 2021) | |
Final industry notice (including industry feedback themes) |
|
Stevedore | Patrick Terminals | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 2 November 2020 | |
Rate type | Activation of empty stack run fee | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 9 September 2020 (due 2 September 2020) | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | N/A – commitment provided to transition to 60-day notice period | |
Industry feedback themes | TBC | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | TBC | |
Final industry notice |
|
VICT
Stevedore | VICT |
---|---|
Effective date | 1 January 2024 |
Rate type | Vehicle booking systems (VBS) and Storage changes |
60 days’ notice issue date to DTP | 1 November 2023 |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | VICT’s Industry Notice – Vehicle Booking Charge from 1 January 2024 |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 30 November 2024 |
Final industry notice | TBC |
Stevedore | VICT | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 June 2023 / 1 July 2023 | |
Rate type |
| |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT | 3 April 2023 | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | 3 April 2023 | |
Industry feedback themes | TBC | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 1 May 2023 | |
Final industry notice | Final Notice(opens in a new window) |
Stevedore | VICT | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 January 2023 | |
Rate type | Various charges, fees and levies | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT | 2 November | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | 2 November | |
Industry feedback themes |
| |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 30 November 2022 | |
Final industry notice | Final Industry Notice(opens in a new window) |
Stevedore | VICT | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 February 2022 | |
Rate type | Introduction of a temporary COVID-19 recovery tariff | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | Not provided, notice of implementation received 17 January | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | Not provided, notice of implementation received 17 January | |
Industry feedback themes | A consultation period has not been included as a part of this notice For further information on the introduction of the temporary COVID-19 tariff, email customer@vict.com.au | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | Not provided, notice of implementation received 17 January | |
Final industry notice |
Stevedore | VICT | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 January 2022 | |
Rate type | Revised tariffs for import storage charges, late receival fee, maritime security levy and vehicle booking system charges. Refer to the VTIC website for the 30 days’ final notice(opens in a new window). | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | Issued 1 November 2021 (due 1 November2021) | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | Issued 1 November 2021 (due 1 November2021) | |
Industry feedback themes | Refer to VICT’s final industry notice(opens in a new window) | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | Issued 1 December 2021 (Due 2 December 2021) | |
Final industry notice |
|
Stevedore | VICT | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 July 2021 | |
Rate type | Terminal infrastructure surcharge, a premium slots charge, and an empty stack run-in surcharge | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 3 May 2021 (due 3 May 2021) | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | N/A – commitment provided to transition to 60-day notice period | |
Industry feedback themes | TBC | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 31 May 2021 (1 June 2021) | |
Final industry notice |
Stevedore | VICT | |
---|---|---|
Effective date | 1 January 2021 | |
Rate type | Carrier access agreement – billing terms and conditions | |
60 days’ notice issue date to DoT (due date) | 2 November 2020 | |
60 days' industry notice (including rationale for price changes) | N/A – commitment provided to transition to 60-day notice period | |
Industry feedback themes | TBC | |
30 days’ industry notice issue date (due date) | 27 November 2020 (due 2 December 2020) | |
Final industry notice |
Please provide formal feedback on these price notifications directly to the relevant stevedore.
On 1 January 2023, DoT was renamed the Department of Transport and Planning.
If you wish to provide comments to the Department of Transport and Planning, please email your feedback to freightvictoria@transport.vic.gov.au.
Updated