Russia | Air & Sea Freight
CargoMaster is committed to delivering safe, compliant, and fully transparent international freight services. For this reason, we are unable to provide any direct freight forwarding or logistics services to Russia at the present time. This decision is not based on demand or capability, CargoMaster has extensive experience handling complex global freight, but instead on strict legal requirements set by the Australian Government. Because these regulations carry significant implications for Australian exporters and freight providers, we take a cautious and responsible approach to ensure our clients remain fully protected from compliance breaches.
Since 2022, Australia has introduced one of the most comprehensive sanction programs in its history, targeting trade with Russia in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. These sanctions continue through late 2025 and directly affect what can be shipped, who it can be supplied to, and how trade can occur. The restrictions apply across several major sectors, meaning that most commercial or industrial items typically transported by freight forwarders cannot legally be exported to Russia. As a result, CargoMaster cannot facilitate shipments that would fall within or near these prohibited categories.
The Australian Government has imposed a complete ban on the direct importation of numerous Russian-origin goods. This includes all Russian oil, refined petroleum products, gas, coal, military equipment, gold, and other restricted materials. On top of outright import bans, the government also applies a 35 percent punitive tariff to the remaining categories of goods that could theoretically still be imported from Russia. This tariff, extended through October 2025, has made direct Russian imports commercially unviable for most Australian businesses. These restrictions mean CargoMaster cannot receive, move, or arrange clearance for cargo originating directly from Russia.
Export controls are equally stringent. Australia prohibits the export of machinery, spare parts, industrial components, drones, drone parts, alumina, aluminum ores, and a wide range of specialised equipment destined for Russian markets. Many of these items represent core export categories for Australian businesses, which means the majority of commercial shipments previously moved between the two countries are now legally restricted. For CargoMaster, compliance is non-negotiable. We therefore cannot accept bookings for cargo bound for Russia, either directly or indirectly, when these goods appear on Australia’s controlled-export list.
These combined import and export blocks have pushed bilateral trade volumes between Australia and Russia to historically low levels. In fact, by mid-2025, data showed that recorded trade had dropped to effectively zero. This is a dramatic shift compared to pre-2022 trading conditions, when movements of goods between the two countries were far more common. While a loophole still allows some Russian-origin oil products to reach Australia after being processed in third countries, this exception is limited and does not reflect broader trade policy. For all practical freight movements, direct commercial shipping between Australia and Russia has stopped.
Another major factor influencing CargoMaster’s position is the growing risk of indirect supply breaches. Under Australian sanctions law, a business can still violate restrictions if their goods ultimately end up with a sanctioned individual, organisation, or industry, even if those goods travelled through another country first. Given the complexity of modern supply chains and the increasing enforcement of sanctions, indirect exposure represents a real legal risk for Australian exporters. CargoMaster operates with full transparency and protection for our clients, which means we avoid all Russia-linked shipments to prevent even the possibility of accidental non-compliance.
By choosing not to offer freight services to Russia during this sanction period, CargoMaster safeguards Australian businesses from significant legal, financial, and reputational harm. Our priority is to ensure every shipment we manage meets the strictest compliance requirements while delivering the same level of professionalism and reliability our clients expect. As the regulatory landscape evolves, CargoMaster will continue to monitor Australian government updates regarding Russia. Should conditions change and direct trade become legally permissible again, we will reassess service availability.
For now, we remain focused on supporting our clients with safe, lawful, and dependable freight services to destinations where trade is fully authorised. Our commitment to compliance ensures your cargo, and your business, remains protected at all times.
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