DP World Australia Pay Rates 2026: Stevedore, Driver & Terminal Pay
What DP World Australia workers should be paid in 2026 — the Stevedoring Industry Award floor by classification, casual loading, penalties, and where the DP World Australia enterprise agreements sit.
Payroll & Compliance Editor · Registered BAS Agent, Cert IV Accounting & Bookkeeping
Who covers DP World Australia workers — award or agreement?
DP World Australia runs container terminals at major ports including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, employing wharfies, crane operators, yard planners and supervisory and support staff in one of the country's most heavily unionised industries. Casual employment is uncommon here — most of the workforce is on permanent terms.
The award floor for stevedoring work is the Stevedoring Industry Award 2020, which sets a 35-hour week as its base, alongside the Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020 for any yard or landside transport roles. In practice, pay at DP World terminals is set by enterprise agreements — our corpus holds a large number of them, covering different terminals and job functions (listed below); the awards are the floor those agreements must beat.
The federal awards relevant to DP World Australia roles:
- Stevedoring Industry Award 2020 (MA000053)
- Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020 (MA000038)
Workforce snapshot. In its 2024-25 report to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, DP World Australia (Holding) Pty Ltd declared 2,009 employees across 7 reporting entities — 4.4% casual and 11.9% women. Source: WGEA 2025 Public Data File, data.gov.au (CC-BY 3.0 AU).
Stevedoring award floor (1 July 2026)
Wharf work sits on the Stevedoring Industry Award 2020 (MA000053), which uses a 35-hour week (hourly = weekly ÷ 35):
| Classification | Permanent | Casual (incl. 25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Stevedoring Grade 1 (entry — lashing, general) | $27.95/hr | $34.94/hr |
| Stevedoring Grade 2 (forklift, general operator) | $28.71/hr | $35.89/hr |
| Stevedoring Grade 3 (straddle/reach stacker, clerical) | $30.02/hr | $37.52/hr |
| Stevedoring Grade 4 (crane driver, leading hand) | $31.75/hr | $39.69/hr |
| Stevedoring Grade 5 (multi-skilled operator) | $32.41/hr | $40.51/hr |
| Stevedoring Grade 6 (supervisor) | $34.56/hr | $43.20/hr |
| Stevedoring Grade 7 (senior supervisor/manager) | $38.91/hr | $48.64/hr |
Port agreements pay well above these figures and restructure shift loadings — the award is the floor when an agreement lapses.
Source: Fair Work Commission modern awards pay database, current-operative rates (1 July 2026 annual wage review). Casual figures add the 25% casual loading.
Road transport award floor (1 July 2026)
Drivers sit on the Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020 (MA000038). The grade follows the biggest vehicle combination you're required to drive:
| Classification | Permanent | Casual (incl. 25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Transport Worker Grade 1 (courier/van, light rigid) | $26.87/hr | $33.59/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 2 (rigid over 4.5t, forklift) | $27.51/hr | $34.39/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 3 (heavy rigid) | $27.83/hr | $34.79/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 4 (semi-trailer/heavy combination) | $28.32/hr | $35.40/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 5 (B-double) | $28.67/hr | $35.84/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 6 (road train) | $29.00/hr | $36.25/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 7 (double road train / specialist) | $29.42/hr | $36.78/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 8 | $30.28/hr | $37.85/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 9 | $30.78/hr | $38.48/hr |
| Transport Worker Grade 10 | $31.55/hr | $39.44/hr |
If you regularly drive a bigger combination than your grade pays for, that is a classification underpayment. Overtime, night and weekend loadings apply on top.
Source: Fair Work Commission modern awards pay database, current-operative rates (1 July 2026 annual wage review). Casual figures add the 25% casual loading.
The DP World Australia enterprise agreements
Enterprise agreements set rates above the award, with their own classification structures and allowances. Current DP World Australia agreements in our corpus (17 in total):
- DP World Australia National Vessel Planners Enterprise Agreement 2025 — approved February 2026, nominal expiry 26 February 2030.
- DP World Brisbane (CEPU) Enterprise Agreement 2024 — approved July 2024, nominal expiry 28 July 2028.
- DP World Brisbane (CEPU) Enterprise Agreement 2024 — approved July 2024, nominal expiry 28 July 2028.
- DP World Supervisor, Yard Planner and Production Coordinator Enterprise Agreement 2024 — approved July 2024, nominal expiry 22 July 2028.
- DP World Supervisor, Yard Planner and Production Coordinator Enterprise Agreement 2024 — approved July 2024, nominal expiry 22 July 2028.
- DP World Supervisor, Yard Planner and Production Coordinator Enterprise Agreement 2024 — approved July 2024, nominal expiry 22 July 2028.
- DP World Container Parks Melbourne Enterprise Agreement 2024 — approved November 2024, nominal expiry 27 June 2028.
- DP World Sydney Enterprise Agreement 2024 — approved April 2024, nominal expiry 31 January 2028.
Plus 9 more — search "DP World Australia" in our agreements database.
We don't reproduce agreement dollar figures here — the agreement covering your site, state and stream is the document to read. Find your agreement, then your classification, then your pay point, and compare it with your payslip. The award tables on this page are the floor every one of these agreements must beat.
Common port and logistics pay issues at DP World Australia
The patterns worth checking on a DP World Australia payslip:
- Driving a bigger combination than your grade pays for — the grade follows the vehicle you're required to drive.
- Unpaid loading, waiting and pre-start time.
- Overtime and night loadings absorbed into a flat rate that doesn't beat the award for the roster.
- Contractor arrangements that look like employment — owner-drivers who are really employees.
What to do if your pay looks wrong
Match your payslip to your classification in the agreement (or the award tables above), and price any gap with our back-pay calculator. Raise it in writing with payroll or your manager first — most underpayments are fixed at that step. Unresolved, the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) recovers underpayments at no cost, up to six years back, and your union can run the claim for you. Not sure which instrument covers you? Ask our AI advisor with your role and location.
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Official resources
General information and estimates only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Always check your specific award, agreement or contract, or a qualified professional, before you rely on the result.
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Six years running payroll for a Western Sydney commercial builder before moving to compliance writing and contract payroll. Registered BAS Agent (TPB). Cert IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. Writes about pay calculations, superannuation, and the 2026 Payday Super rollout. Based in Cabramatta, Sydney.