Updating the National Voluntary Guidelines for Landside Stevedoring Charges

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The National Voluntary Guidelines (NVG) for Landside Stevedore Charges establish clear protocols for how price changes are communicated. The guidelines cover both new landside charges or increasing existing ones levied by stevedores on land transport operators accessing Australian ports and handling containerised cargo. 

By improving transparency and consistency across the supply chain, the NVG supports fairer pricing, improve efficiency, reduce costs and deliver more consistent outcomes for industry and jurisdictions nationwide.  
 

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Updating the guidelines

The NTC published the first guidelines for Stevedore Charges in 2022. 

In August 2025, Australian transport ministers requested that the NTC update the guidelines to align with Victoria’s Voluntary Pricing Protocol (VPP) and to consider extending the guidelines to Empty Container Parks (ECPs). 

Proposed changes include moving to a single annual price-change date on 1 January each year. 

As part of this work, the NTC is engaging with jurisdictions and the port and container land transport industries. 

Public consultation on an update to the guidelines is expected to commence early in 2026, with finalised guidelines ready for ministerial review in the second quarter of the year.

Separate to this work, senior transport officials are to establish a National Container Landside Pricing Working Group in consideration of broader regulatory responses to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission findings on landside pricing.
 

Project timeline

How to get involved

We’ll publish a consultation paper and invite submissions in early 2026. Details on consultation opportunities and how to provide a submission will be added here closer to release.

Get in touch

Contact email enquiries@ntc.gov.au

Related

Codes and guidelines

National voluntary guidelines for landside stevedore charges