Port of Melbourne handled 3.52 million TEUs in financial year 2026, marking a second consecutive year of record container trade and cementing its position as Australia’s largest container port.
The results, published in the port’s Trade in Review report, reflect the resilience and adaptability of trade across south-east Australia amid persistent global uncertainty.
Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon described the results as pointing to an economy continuing to evolve rather than slow, noting that the changing composition of trade was as significant as the record volumes.
Alongside resilient consumer demand, the year saw growing volumes of industrial and construction-related imports, indicating continued business investment in Victoria’s future.
Trade performance remained broadly resilient through major global disruptions during the year, including changes to US tariff policies and supply chain impacts from instability around the Strait of Hormuz.
Export demand stayed diversified while fuel supply chains successfully adjusted to changing sourcing patterns.
A notable structural shift was recorded in the vehicle import segment, with China overtaking Japan to become the largest source of imported motor vehicles through Port of Melbourne for the first time.
China’s share of vehicle imports has grown from 1 percent in FY2020 to 28 percent in FY2026, reflecting broader shifts in global manufacturing and vehicle supply chains over the past six years.
