Westpro products are shipped to all corners of the world meaning we are at the mercy of global shipping services which have been through turbulent times with major disruption including delays and congestion during and post the COVID pandemic period.

The vagaries of shipping services mean it has been challenging, in fact at times near impossible, to plan shipping our exports to our customers in 44 countries including China, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. Our global footprint underscores the importance of maintaining efficient and reliable shipping operations to support international trade.

We work continually with our end-to-end supply chain to ensure that our products reach our customers on the other side of the world on time. We have been making our own improvements to facilitate transport across markets, such as diversifying our ocean freight partnerships while advocating for infrastructure reform.

Global services

Global shipping reliability has recovered significantly reaching close to 70 per cent of vessels arriving and departing on time meaning we have now returned to near pre-COVID levels. However, challenges continue to impact the overall reliability of shipping services due to ongoing conflict in the Red Sea, congestion at Asian trans-shipment ports, and vessel space shortages for US-bound shipments.

Beyond port and infrastructure issues, shipping effectiveness is influenced by the reliability of specific vessel operators and their schedules. These issues highlight the fragility of global supply chains with regional weather events and political developments also playing a role, adding layers of unpredictability to maritime logistics.

A flexible and responsive approach to shipping management is required and as one of the country’s largest exporters of agricultural produce, we prioritise making our own improvements to facilitate transport to international markets.

At Yili Oceania Business Division (YOBD), we’ve been mitigating regional shipping risks by partnering with a diverse panel of shipping lines and service providers. This strategic diversification enables us to better navigate potential shortages in vessel space and container availability. Each provider brings unique strengths – whether it's regional expertise, cost efficiency, transit time, or access to critical resources like vessel capacity and empty containers – allowing us to optimise our logistics operations across various destinations.

The New Zealand situation

New Zealand remains behind in the global shipping recovery. As a member of the New Zealand Cargo Owners Council, we continue to advocate for systemic upgrades to port operations that will benefit exporters nationwide.

And while the national shipping environment remains less competitive than we would like, Westland has taken proactive steps to improve our own efficiency and resilience. We’ve diversified our ocean freight tenders to reduce reliance on any single provider or route, increased resource allocation to strengthen our logistics capabilities, and adopted a range of tactics to mitigate regional risks such as port congestion, vessel delays, and container shortages. These initiatives are designed to enhance agility in the face of global shipping disruptions and ensure consistent, reliable delivery of our products.

Place orders early

As peak shipping periods approach, such as Chinese New Year, we remind customers to be aware of the standard shipping deadlines which still apply during holiday seasons. To make sure you have your favourite Westpro nutritional essentials on hand, please plan your orders early. Global carriers experience high demand between November and February, and we want your products to arrive in time to meet the needs of all your customers no matter the occasion.