Ford Australia rents ship for three years to reduce delays, avoid biosecurity slowdowns

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.

Given most car-carrying ships freight multiple vehicle brands from multiple ports, one biosecurity outbreak can impact the processing of the rest of the vessel – and create a traffic jam on Australian docks while the vehicles are treated and cleared.

Electric-car specialist Tesla often fills an entire shipload. So too does market leader Toyota, from time to time, from certain ports.

However this is believed to be the first time Ford Australia has taken the drastic step of leasing its own ship for an extended period of time.

The waiting time for Ford Ranger and Ford Everest models in Australia currently stretch from three to 12 months, depending on specifications and options.

Dealers canvassed by Drive are quoting wait times of up to two years for the high-performance Ford Ranger Raptor.

Ford says the ship it has leased – called Grand Guest – can hold 2600 vehicles. Other car-carrying vessels can carry up to 4000 vehicles.

In a media statement, Ford said: "We know many customers are waiting for their new Ford, and we're doing everything we can to get them their vehicle sooner."