Breakbulk cargo at the port of Melbourne has continued its steady structural decline, falling to just one percent of total trade in CY2025.
According to the port’s first Trade in Review report, breakbulk volumes totalled around 1.0 million revenue tonnes in 2025, extending a clear multi-year downward trend from approximately 1.8 million tonnes in CY2022.
The contraction at what is Australia’s largest port gateway reflects a significant long-running shift of general cargo into alternative freight formats, leaving breakbulk largely reserved for cargoes that cannot be efficiently unitised.
Automotive imports
Despite the shrinking base, the commodity mix remains firmly aligned with industrial and project-linked activity. Key breakbulk flows include agricultural and industrial machinery, steel, timber and iron, alongside limited ro-ro related movements.
According to the report, vehicle imports through the port’s ro-ro terminal “surged” during the lockdown period between 2020 and 2023 and have since “remained relatively stable at higher volumes”.
The port continues to operate Victoria’s only dedicated ro-ro and pure car carrier terminal, handling large daily volumes of imported vehicles, although the report notes a softening in new vehicle arrivals during 2025.
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