https://www.ozervnews.com

Most of the containers from SEasia get transhipped in Singapore, if you have ever flown into there you will understand about the container traffic.
Mine get unloaded in Fremantle and then the pallets get sent up 450ks to here by general road freight, less than half the cost of bringing the container up. The road freight is as many $ if not more than the sea freight. And then there is duty,GST and other charges that must be paid before the port will release your goods . I think that it would cost about the same from China as Taiwan.

The cost of road freight from Fremantle to here is staggering, nearly as bad as from Brisbane to here. We bought a truck and had container locks fitted so we could transport our own containers, plus we have a use for the container once it's unloaded so we would probably buy the container ex China and loaded with our gear and shipped to Port Adelaide I guess.
Still have to do the logistics on it all and determine if this shortage of battery stock is a short term thing or likely to be a long term problem.
As we have only officially been open for 7 weeks now it's a little hard to determine just what to expect, was the rush only because we just opened or is it the start of an even bigger surge as we become more established....... but if it keeps going like it is we will be happy little vegemites

importing is easy.

but, I'd go over and do some random checks on the batteries and then authorise the money transfer.

Get a shipping agent and FOB.

Make sure they are properly packed and strapped onto pallets. You have no control over things.

Don't assume anything. If you want it, or assume they'll do it. It must be specified and paid for.

Be prepared to loose some or all of the lot and get no recompense.


Avoid partial containers because that's when things get broken as they drive forks though everything and move boxes. Plus the stuff rolls around. (see above point)

And beware of wooden crates and pallets

Fortunately that part would be taken care of by some very skilled and experienced people, not cheap but guaranteed, but agreed about the full container. Just like a half loaded truck, nothing but a mess when you open the doors at the other end.

Tim at EV works was very disparaging about the battery manufacturers organisational skills....

That's why you get a shipping agent.

They have people on the ground and check it out.

Doesn't matter how good the quality is when they have been dropped and bent.

Thankyou all for your experience and guidance, I certainly don't want to be flying in and out of China to check every batch so having a link into a joint network that is being established between here and China keen to get a new business venture of their own off the ground sounds like even more value than I originally placed on it, so again, thankyou again for sharing your experiences and knowledge

The viability of importation is heavily reliant on the value of the US$ vs AUD$
The exchange rate is where the money will be lost or made. If you do your very best deal at 75c/US$ and the exchange rate changes to 85c/US$ you have just taken a beating.

Fortunately, he will have made a profit, not a loss.

George