Transparency in temporary coastal trading licenses is being improved by the federal government, in a move it hopes will help support the process of maintaining a viable domestic shipping industry.
Currently, the government regulates coastal trading through the awarding of licences to allow vessels to move cargo or passengers for commercial purposes between ports in different Australian states and territories.
Greater detail on delegate decisions, including data on the numbers of temporary licences granted, cargo types, load ports and discharge ports will now be published quarterly, and will assist stakeholders to respond to temporary licence applications and inform decision makers about the impacts granting a temporary licence will have on a business.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King says the added transparency is another step in the government’s goals of fortifying Australia’s cargo shipping sector.
“Improving the transparency of decision-making under Australia’s Coastal Trading Act is one of many actions the Albanese government is taking to revitalise Australia’s maritime sector,” King says.
“We’ve launched our Strategic Fleet pilot program which is currently open for tender, our review of the Coastal Trading Act and Shipping Registration Act is underway, and we’ve introduced new maritime skills and training initiatives strengthen maritime in Australia.”
Quarterly reports are available to review with more information here.
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