The U.S. Department of Defense is soliciting contractor proposals for handling and transporting American military cargo shipped through four Australian ports.
According to ABC News, a Yokohama-based U.S. transportation battalion in Japan issued the solicitation as part of an expanded U.S. government contract. The shipment – which includes hazardous items such as gases, explosives and radioactive materials, in addition to aircraft and general cargo – is for the Australian Defence Force and will support U.S. exercises and other activities in Australia.
Weekly Task Orders
EMS Shipping and Trading, a German company, handles similar cargo coming into Australian ports as part of a contract worth about $2 million awarded in 2023, but the U.S. military’s Transportation Command will reportedly replace the award with a new contract through 2030, including an increase in the current weekly rate. TRANSCOM has advised bidders that the additional payments will be determined via weekly task orders throughout the contract’s tenure.
The contract’s cargo manifest provides additional 20-ton containers of explosives. TRANSCOM urged contractors to comply with U.S. laws governing ammunition and explosives handling.