Port of Melbourne is the primary import and export gateway for Victoria and much of south-eastern Australia. We manage FCL and LCL shipments through the port across all major trade lanes - China, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Americas - with a supply chain review included. The top import commodities through Melbourne reflect Victoria's retail and consumer goods economy: furniture, appliances, clothing, and electronics. These are the shipments we manage every day.
Sea Freight ForwarderFreight Forwarding Services Melbourne
Navia Freight is an Australian freight forwarder and customs broker headquartered at Melbourne Airport, moving cargo through the Port of Melbourne and Melbourne Airport for importers and exporters across Victoria.
✓ DG certified staff
✓ Australian Trusted Trader
✓ HACCP
✓ Bonded Warehouse & RACA accreditation
✓ DAFF Approved and Accredited
Navia Freight in Melbourne
Navia's Melbourne headquarters sits at the heart of Australia's busiest container port. Port of Melbourne handled 3.39 million TEU in FY25, more than any other Australian port, and 21% more than the next largest. If your freight moves through Melbourne, it moves through the country's most significant trade gateway, and it needs a freight forwarder that knows this port and this market in detail.
We've operated in Melbourne for 20 years. Sea freight, air freight, road freight, and in-house customs clearance, managed by a local team.
Sea Freight
Air Freight
For time-critical cargo, our Melbourne Airport office puts us directly at the gateway for international air freight into Victoria. Average door-to-door transit: 3.23 days. Full tracking, proactive exception alerts, no surprise charges.
Air Freight ForwarderRoad Freight
Port to warehouse, warehouse to warehouse, or onward distribution across Victoria and interstate. The same team that manages your inbound freight handles this leg too, so nothing gets lost in a handover to a separate provider.
Customs Clearance
In-house, handled by our Melbourne team. Our customs brokers hold current ABF licences and manage classification, duty assessment, biosecurity compliance, and documentation. As an Australian Trusted Trader, Navia operates to a compliance standard that delivers faster clearance and lower intervention rates for our clients.
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Freight Forwarding for Melbourne's Import & Export Market
Port of Melbourne handles more than one third of Australia's total container trade. The top container imports reflect Victoria's consumer-driven economy, furniture dominated at over 9% of total imports in FY25, with appliances, clothing, toys, and sporting goods all in the top ten. Agricultural exports - wheat, hay, fresh fruit, beef - are the port's primary outbound commodities, feeding into Asian markets where Australia holds strong trade relationships.
For Melbourne importers, the China trade lane is the dominant corridor. Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen account for the bulk of container movements into the port. Navia manages this lane with the detail it requires - ChAFTA Certificate of Origin coordination, BMSB treatment confirmation during season, and customs clearance handled in-house so there's no third-party broker creating documentation gaps.
For Melbourne exporters, we manage outbound freight across the same global network - documentation, export clearance, and carrier coordination from origin through to destination.
Our Melbourne freight forwarding office
Port of Melbourne sea freight, Melbourne Airport air freight, and in-house customs clearance, managed from our Australian headquarters. Explore our other Australian freight forwarding locations below.
This location
Melbourne
Our head office, managing Port of Melbourne sea freight and national coordination.
Office (HQ)
28-32 Sky Road
Melbourne Airport, Victoria 3045
28-32 Sky Road
Melbourne Airport, Victoria 3045
Import Container Freight Station
Cito Transport
12 Quarry Road, Tottenham, Victoria 3012
Cito Transport
12 Quarry Road, Tottenham, Victoria 3012
Export Container Freight Station
Cito Transport
22A Sara Grove, Tottenham, Victoria 3012
Cito Transport
22A Sara Grove, Tottenham, Victoria 3012
Other Australian location
Sydney
Port Botany container freight and NSW distribution from our Padstow office.
Office
4/45 Davies Road
Padstow, NSW 2211
4/45 Davies Road
Padstow, NSW 2211
Import Container Freight Station
Arrow Transport
10 Brunker Road, Greenacre, NSW 2190
Arrow Transport
10 Brunker Road, Greenacre, NSW 2190
Export Container Freight Station
Price and Speed
17 Baker Street, Banksmeadow, NSW 2019
Price and Speed
17 Baker Street, Banksmeadow, NSW 2019
Other Australian location
Brisbane
Port of Brisbane container freight and Queensland distribution.
Office
3/901 Kingsford Smith Drive
Eagle Farm, QLD 4009
3/901 Kingsford Smith Drive
Eagle Farm, QLD 4009
Import Container Freight Station
Portgate Logistics
Wharf 5 Osprey Drive, Port of Brisbane, QLD 4178
Portgate Logistics
Wharf 5 Osprey Drive, Port of Brisbane, QLD 4178
Export Container Freight Station
Portgate Logistics
Wharf 5 Osprey Drive, Port of Brisbane, QLD 4178
Portgate Logistics
Wharf 5 Osprey Drive, Port of Brisbane, QLD 4178
Freight forwarding in Brisbane ›
Freight forwarding in Brisbane
Other Australian location
Perth
Western Australian imports and resources sector freight.
Office
5 Purdy Place
Canning Vale, Western Australia 6155
5 Purdy Place
Canning Vale, Western Australia 6155
Live Freight Visibility Across Every Melbourne Shipment
Every Melbourne customer gets full access to NaviaHub at no extra charge. Track your shipments across sea, air, and road in real time, receive proactive alerts when something needs attention, manage all your shipping documents in one place, and pull performance reports without waiting for a monthly summary.
ERP integration via API means your freight data flows directly into the systems your finance and operations teams already use.
Most freight forwarders in Melbourne give you a tracking number. NaviaHub gives you the full picture.
Talk to Navia's Melbourne Freight Forwarding Team
20 years operating in Melbourne. In-house customs clearance. Real-time visibility through the NaviaHub. If you're reviewing your freight arrangements or need a forwarder that manages the detail, our Melbourne team is ready.
Get in touch
Why does having a local Melbourne freight forwarding team matter?
Global reach means nothing if no one local knows your port. Navia operates internationally, and our Melbourne team brings that global network together with on-the-ground knowledge of Port of Melbourne's operational rhythms, local carrier relationships, and the compliance requirements specific to cargo moving through Victoria. When something goes wrong with a vessel delay, a customs hold, or a biosecurity issue, you have someone local who can act on it directly, not a service desk routing your query somewhere else.
What are the most common freight forwarding mistakes Melbourne importers make?
The most costly are documentation errors on the China trade lane, mismatched Certificates of Origin that forfeit ChAFTA duty savings, and BMSB treatment that isn't confirmed before cargo departs during biosecurity season. Both result in avoidable costs that land on the importer. Navia's customs team manages both as standard on every applicable shipment.
How long does sea freight from China to Melbourne take?
Port-to-port from major Chinese ports (Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou) to Port of Melbourne typically takes 16 to 25 days. Door-to-door adds origin lead time and customs clearance at Melbourne, 24 to 48 hours for a clean clearance, longer if a biosecurity inspection or document issue arises. Navia provides a specific transit estimate for your trade lane when you request a quote.
Does Navia handle both import and export freight forwarding from Melbourne?
Yes. We manage inbound freight from all major origins into Port of Melbourne and Melbourne Airport, and outbound exports across Navia's global network. Export documentation, clearance, and carrier coordination are all handled by our Melbourne t
Can Navia manage road freight onward from Port of Melbourne?
Yes. Our road freight service coordinates delivery from Port of Melbourne to your warehouse or distribution centre anywhere in Victoria and interstate, managed by the same team handling your inbound international freight.