Practical guides to shipping freight to PNG

Papua New Guinea is Australia's closest neighbour, and the freight lane across the Coral Sea carries everything from mining machinery and building supplies to supermarket stock, household goods and boxes for family. It's a short voyage with some very particular rules.

This page is the starting point for our PNG shipping guides. Use it to find the right guide for your situation, check the essentials and get your bearings before you book.

Why shipping to PNG is different

Three things set the PNG lane apart from most destinations Australians ship to.

• Geography. Mountain ranges divide the mainland, and the capital has no road link to Lae or the Highlands. The port you choose decides how, and whether, your cargo can reach its destination.
• Paperwork. PNG Customs processes entries electronically, and a vague invoice, a wrong value or a missing permit can hold cargo for days while storage charges build.
• Biosecurity. NAQIA, PNG's biosecurity agency, inspects cargo alongside Customs. Dirty machinery or untreated timber can mean treatment, cleaning or reshipping at your cost.

For the whole process from booking to delivery, read Shipping from Australia to PNG: The Complete Guide.

Start with your situation

Most people shipping to PNG fall into one of a handful of situations. Start with the guide that matches yours:

• A business shipping stock or equipment: begin with what shipping to PNG costs, then decide between a full or shared container.
• Moving to PNG for work, or returning home: see shipping household goods and personal effects, including the duty-free concessions.
• Sending boxes to family: compare post, courier and sea freight in sending boxes and parcels to PNG.
• Shipping a car or ute: budget for excise and GST first, with our guide to shipping a car to PNG.
• Supplying a mine or major project: plan the land leg as carefully as the voyage, in project cargo and mining equipment.
• Shipping food: check permits and cold chain planning in refrigerated and food cargo.
• Cargo already held in port: find the cause and the fix in why cargo gets held in PNG ports.

PNG's main ports at a glance

Choosing between the two main ports is the single most important decision on the lane. Our guide to Port Moresby or Lae explains how to decide, the Motukea terminal guide covers arrivals in the capital, and shipping to regional ports and the Highlands covers everywhere else.

Departing from Australia

Brisbane is the main departure point for PNG cargo, with regular container services to both Port Moresby and Lae, and it doubles as a relay hub for cargo coming from Asia. Cairns and Townsville are the closest Australian ports to PNG and have long supported the supply chains of PNG's mines and gas projects. Services also run from Sydney and Melbourne, though cargo often connects through Brisbane or another hub, which adds time.

Whichever port you leave from, the Australian paperwork is the same. The Australian Border Force sets out the rules on its export requirements page, and our guide to export declarations and documents for PNG explains what you need before the cargo reaches the wharf.

Sea or air?

Most cargo goes by sea: it's far cheaper per kilo and handles almost anything, from a pallet to a haul truck. Air freight earns its place for urgent, small or high-value consignments, landing at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby. Both modes charge on weight or volume, whichever is greater, and airlines count each cubic metre as roughly 167 kilos, so bulky goods get expensive in the air quickly. See air freight from Australia to PNG for routes, pricing and dangerous goods rules.

The essentials checklist

• Before booking: confirm the final destination, choose the port that serves it, and agree the Incoterm, including who pays PNG duty, GST and destination charges.
• In Australia: lodge an export declaration if the consignment is worth AUD 2,000 or more, or needs a permit.
• Packaging: use ISPM 15 marked, plastic or reconstituted wood pallets, and clean any used machinery or vehicles. See NAQIA biosecurity rules.
• Permits: check whether any goods need a NAQIA import permit, or appear on PNG's prohibited and restricted list.
• In PNG: make sure the importer is registered and has nominated a licensed customs broker. PNG Customs Service outlines the steps in its official import procedures, and our guide to PNG customs clearance walks through them in practice.
• Budget: allow for duty or excise, 10% GST, broker fees and destination charges, demurrage and detention. Our duty and GST guide shows how to estimate landed cost.
• After arrival: pay charges and collect promptly. Vehicles left at a Customs wharf for more than 30 days are forfeited to the State.

Common questions