Jun 15, 2026 – 11.10amAn 83 per cent jump in imported Chinese cars over the past year, including the arrival this month of a BYD-owned ship carrying 5000 electric vehicles, has helped drive the country’s largest container and automotive port to a record year of trade despite the slowing economy.The Port of Melbourne handled a record 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units last year, with trade volumes on track to set another record for the financial year ending June 30.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles