We are conducting our second inquiry into the Port of Melbourne’s compliance with the Pricing Order, covering the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2026.
Inquiry into Port of Melbourne's compliance with the Pricing Order 2026
- Inquiry commenced1 July 2026
- Public forum17 August 2026
- Consultation closed28 August 2026
- Report due to Minister for Finance31 December 2026
- Public report releasedearly-mid January
Overview
The Port of Melbourne services international and domestic shipping lines carrying containerised and general cargo to and from Melbourne through the Port Phillip Bay.
The Port's prescribed services are regulated by a Pricing Order (amended as at June 2026), made under section 49A of the Port Management Act 1995 (Vic).
The Pricing Order:
- sets out the requirements for the Port including; how to calculate prices for prescribed services, the extent prices can change between years, and when the Port needs to apply to us for variations.
- provides the Port a reasonable opportunity to recover the efficient costs of providing prescribed services such as wharfage, channels, berth or area hire and other ancillary services.
We have commenced our second inquiry
Every five years, we are required by the Port Management Act 1995 (Vic) to conduct a formal inquiry into the Port of Melbourne's compliance with the Pricing Order. We must complete the inquiry within six months of the end of each review period.
This is our second five-yearly review, covering the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2026.
We will provide a final inquiry report to the Minister for Finance by 31 December 2026.
Scope of our inquiry
We will assess:
- whether the Port of Melbourne has complied with the Pricing Order during the review period
- if any non-compliance was, in our view, non-compliance in a significant and sustained manner.
Further detail on our inquiry process and the legislative framework is available in our Statement of Regulatory Approach.
View the Port of Melbourne's tariff compliance statements
The Port submitted five tariff compliance statements for the period 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2026.
We prepared interim commentaries to provide guidance to the Port on its compliance with the Pricing Order and identify issues of importance for port users. These commentaries are not an assessment of the Port's compliance with the Pricing Order, nor do they provide findings on whether any non-compliance was significant and sustained.
Consultation of port users and interested parties
We sought feedback from port users and interested parties between 1 July and 28 August 2026. All feedback and submissions received will inform our inquiry's findings.
Public submissions can be viewed in the 'Resources' tab of this page. We will publish a summary of our engagement in October 2026. Please note that we are not able to release confidential or commercially sensitive information.
Public forum
On 17 August 2026, we held a virtual public forum to provide port users and interested parties with information on our inquiry process and opportunities to ask questions. View the forum recording below.
Got a question?
Please email ports@esc.vic.gov.au, or call (03) 9032 13000 / 1300 664 969.