Port of Melbourne’s inaugural Trade in Review report reveals Victoria’s trade economy is continuing to perform strongly despite an increasingly volatile global backdrop, with the Port recording a second consecutive year of record container volumes in 2025.
New finalised data shows that Port of Melbourne handled a record 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the calendar year to December 2025, underscoring the resilience of trade flows at a time of geopolitical tension, tariff uncertainty and softer global growth.
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CEO Saul Cannon said the results demonstrate that during shifting global conditions, economic activity did not stall. “Globally, we are operating in an environment defined by volatility and uncertainty. But the fundamentals remain: goods need to move and Victoria needs to trade. Experience from the Global Financial Crisis and COVID‑19 shows that, historically, while trade may soften in the short term, it rebounds strongly and rapidly thereafter,” Cannon said.
“What we saw was not a slowdown in trade, but an adaptation to new global conditions. That speaks to the underlying resilience of the Victorian economy.”
The report finds that trade volumes remained strong through 2025 even as global supply chains adjusted to disruption, with continued demand supporting both imports and exports.
This momentum has carried into 2026, with container trade rising more than 2% year‑on‑year in the first quarter, despite geopolitical volatility impacting shipping and fuel supply availability. April figures point to a further acceleration, achieving almost 7% growth compared to the previous year.
Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Steve Dimopoulos said, “As Australia’s largest container and general cargo port, Port of Melbourne’s strong results show Victoria remains an export powerhouse. Trade is a key driver of economic growth, supporting jobs, productivity and new market opportunities for Victorian businesses.”
Export performance was underpinned by resilient agricultural volumes, with strong demand across key markets including the United States and Asia. More than 660,000 TEUs of overseas containers were exported through the port in 2025, primarily comprising agricultural goods and produce from across south‑east Australia.
Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said, “Over the past 10 years we have seen record container volumes, $6 billion in annual economic contribution, $120 billion in total trade revenue, and nearly 20,000 jobs supported across Victoria. That’s why we’re backing critical freight and port infrastructure that will support trade growth, strengthen supply chains and keep Victoria’s economy moving.”
Southeast Asia has emerged as a key growth market, now accounting for more than a quarter of container exports, while exports to the United States remained robust — supported in part by strong demand for Victorian beef and favourable trade settings.
At the same time, import volumes strengthened, pointing to improving domestic demand conditions as inflation eased and household incomes recovered over the course of the year.
Cannon said the combination of steady export performance and recovering imports positions trade as an important real‑time indicator of economic activity.
Handling more than one‑third of the nation’s container trade, Port of Melbourne plays a central role in enabling this activity, connecting Victorian exporters to global markets and supporting the movement of goods across the economy.
Cannon said maintaining this momentum would depend on continued investment and confidence across the trade ecosystem.
“Sustaining this performance will require disciplined, long-term investment and strong partnerships between government and industry. If we want to lock in this momentum, we need to ensure our supply chains remain efficient, competitive and capable of supporting future growth.”
He added, “The key question now is how we maintain this trajectory if global conditions become more challenging. That’s where certainty, investment and collaboration will be critical.”