News

Diesel crisis: how the March 2026 price spike hit Australian supply chains

Trace Consultants' April 2026 analysis of the March diesel spike found diesel above $3 per litre in several capital cities, terminal gate prices up 45 to 50 cents a litre within two weeks, and roughly $18,000 more for a standard 36,000-litre load.

Toll, Linfox and StarTrack raised surcharges, and businesses reported logistics costs up 15 to 20%, with surcharges lagging fuel costs by 2 to 6 weeks. Australia imports about 120,000 barrels a day of diesel from South Korea and is almost entirely dependent on imports. The report attributes the shock to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the loss of about 20% of global oil supply.

Source: Trace Consultants - Diesel Cost Crisis Australia