The head of Ports Australia has called for coastal shipping reform to help stimulate the Australian shipping and ports sectors.
Chief executive Michael Gallacher, addressing the Biennial Ports West Australia Forum in Perth, said the government needed to keep revisiting the issue, because coastal shipping would be a boon to regional Australia. It would lead to opportunities for growth in far-flung communities which currently are struggling and are looking for opportunities to expand the capacity of their ports.
While some in the Australian maritime industry are concerned about opening the Australian coast to more foreign-flagged vessels, Mr Gallacher said regional Australians see coastal shipping as an opportunity. “For ports, we don’t care what flag’s stuck on the back of the boat when it turns up – we just want to see the damn thing turn up in the first place, and that’s a winner for regional Australia,” he said.
