The Australian Government has released a national action plan aimed at reducing emissions across the maritime sector while strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the country’s shipping and freight networks.
The Maritime Emissions Reduction National Action Plan (MERNAP) sets out measures covering ports, shipping, energy, domestic commercial vessels, regulation and workforce development.
The plan identifies areas where government and industry can work together to support Australia’s net-zero emissions target and contribute to the broader decarbonisation of international shipping.
Ports and shipping in focus
Among MERNAP’s priorities is encouraging investment in lower-emission port infrastructure and operations, alongside efforts to reduce regulatory barriers for emerging maritime technologies.
The plan also highlights the need to prepare the maritime workforce for the introduction of new vessel technologies, fuels and supporting infrastructure.
For a country that relies heavily on maritime transport, the transition has significant implications for supply chains. The maritime sector facilitates 99% of Australia’s international trade, while employing almost 29,000 people and contributing approximately $3.8 billion to the national economy each year.
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said improving the sustainability of the sector is closely linked to strengthening Australia’s supply chain resilience.
“The recent conflict in the Middle East has demonstrated to us how critical it is to build resilience and sustainability within our maritime industry,” King said.
“In a nation where our maritime sector is responsible for 99 per cent of our international trade, the MERNAP is a vital piece of our journey toward a sustainable future.”
Investment in cleaner maritime infrastructure
MERNAP builds on a number of existing government initiatives supporting the transition to lower-emission transport and energy systems.
These include the $1.1 billion Cleaner Fuels Program and the Green Fuel Bunkering Strategy, as well as the $30 million Australia-Singapore Low-Emissions Technologies Initiative for Maritime and Port Operations.
Other related investments include the $55 million Transport Resilience and Capacity Kickstart program and the $13.8 million Maritime Skills and Training Initiative.
The plan also aligns with the government’s $100 million investment in a Clean Energy Precinct at the Port of Newcastle.
The precinct is intended to support the production, storage, distribution and export of clean-energy products, including hydrogen and ammonia. The government estimates the project will support approximately 5,800 jobs during construction.
Opportunity for Australia’s clean-energy exports
Beyond reducing emissions from Australia’s maritime operations, the government sees the transition as an opportunity to establish the country as a supplier of low- and zero-carbon energy to international markets.
“It also presents an unparalleled opportunity to be a low and zero-carbon energy exporter of choice internationally, while creating new jobs and industry within the sustainable maritime sector locally,” King said.
The government says the plan will also support collaboration with international partners on maritime decarbonisation, including the development of green shipping corridors and lower-emission port operations.
For freight and logistics operators, these developments could influence the infrastructure, fuels and skills required to move goods through Australia’s ports as global shipping moves towards lower-emission operations.
MERNAP was developed following consultation with maritime businesses, energy stakeholders and industry experts, with the government positioning collaboration between industry and government as central to the sector’s transition.
As Australia’s international trade continues to depend heavily on maritime transport, the plan places decarbonisation alongside resilience, infrastructure investment and workforce readiness as key priorities for the future of the country’s freight network.
Read more: Building resilient supply chains in an uncertain economy
Yvette is a Content Producer at Akolade, producing stories for Supply Chain Channel, an Australian learning ecosystem created to address the need for information, networking, case studies, and empowerment for everyone in the supply chain sector.
