Shadow Minister Media Releases
Coastal Shipping – An Exciting Freight Transport Alternative (14/05/2010)
Ballina MP and Shadow Minister for North Coast, Don Page again brought to the attention of the NSW Parliament the urgent need to find transport alternatives for the ever increasing amount of freight travelling between Sydney and Brisbane.
A 2007 AusLink report stated that “Freight on the Sydney to Brisbane corridor will almost triple between now and 2029 to approximately 17million tones per year.”
“I believe the Pacific Ocean is a perfect freight corridor that has the potential to substantially alleviate the enormous amount of freight being transported along the Pacific Highway,” Mr Page said.
Mr Page said while road and rail transport will always be significant players in moving freight from one destination to another, he is very interested in new types of ocean going vessels.
Coastal shipping has been developed in the United States as an alternative, efficient, cost-effective and economically viable way of moving freight between ports.
“There is much potential for these new types of vessel in Australian waters,” Mr Page said.
“These vessels travel faster and are smaller than conventional ships, which make them more economically viable than the slower, larger freighters of the past.”
The vessels can travel up to 35 knots and carry up to 250 containers. They also have a simple load and unload arrangement. Some ships carry containers, while others will allow for prime movers to unhook their entire trailers and leave them on the vessel. Another prime mover will hook up to the trailer at the destination port, and deliver the goods locally.
“Unlike large ships, smaller freight ships can be in and out of a port quickly and need minimal port infrastructure,” Mr Page said.
“Using the Pacific Ocean is an environmentally friendly freight transport option.”
A discussion paper published in October 2007 noted that 84% of freight emissions came from road transport.
“It also makes environmental sense to utilise coastal shipping for freight transport.
“Coastal shipping would see a reduction in heavy vehicles on the Pacific Highway leading to safer roads and a decrease in road maintenance costs.
“I urge the State and Federal governments to look more seriously at coastal shipping as a freight option particularly along the east coast of Australia. It would save money, make our roads safer and reduce greenhouse gases,” Mr Page told Parliament.
