Ford Australia rents ship for three years to reduce delays, avoid biosecurity slowdowns
Ford Australia has rented a car-carrying ship for three years to make sure its vehicles are not contaminated by stink bugs and other biosecurity threats, in an attempt to reduce customer waiting times that stretch up to two years.
The battle to cut new-car waiting times in Australia has hit the high seas.
Ford Australia has followed the lead of other car companies and rented its own ship for the next three years – for the first time – to ease the passage of Ranger utes and Everest four-wheel-drives coming from its factory in Thailand.
Logistics bottlenecks and biosecurity checks have played havoc with shipments arriving on Australian ports, which have slowed the delivery of new motor vehicles since the global pandemic.
Seasonal outbreaks of stink bugs and seed contaminations – and other pests that are harmful to the Australian environment – find their way onto new cars while they are waiting in foreign holding yards before being shipped.
