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A coastal shipping operator has accused Australia's policy makers of continuing to show reluctance to embrace the development of coastal shipping in the national transport planning framework.
Fremantle-based Seacorp Coastal Shipping managing director Craig Thompson said an ongoing obsession with road-centric solutions among Commonwealth transport planners meant that the more environmentally-friendly transport mode of coastal shipping was not utilised to capacity.
Mr Thompson said the current approach to transport planning not only put increasing pressure on the nation's road system, but it also deprived Australians of the massive social, economic and environmental benefits that shipping offered.
"We're an island nation with one of the largest coastlines in the world and the majority of our population hugs this coastline," Mr Thompson said.
"Why is it that our transport policies are so out of kilter with this geographical reality?"
Mr Thompson said there was nothing to indicate that the historic lack of attention paid to the development of coastal shipping at a Commonwealth level would change.
This was signalled in a draft transport policy document - the Auslink Perth-Darwin corridor strategy.
He said Seacorp, together with the Broome Port Authority and Kimberley Development Commission, had written to the Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS) to express their disappointment at the Auslink report.
"We sent the letter some weeks ago and are yet to receive any acknowledgement, which is most disappointing," Mr Thompson said.
Mr Thompson said the 'road-centric' document, which was meant to outline the shared strategic priorities and challenges of Commonwealth and State Governments on an important transport corridor, did not include any input from the maritime sector.
He said the vast stretch of coastline between Perth and Darwin demanded that use of coastal shipping be part of the Auslink consideration when planning for this transport corridor.
Mr Thompson said it was extremely disappointing that Seacorp Coastal Shipping, which was the sole licensed carrier to ship cargo along the west coast up to Darwin, had not been invited to contribute to the strategy.
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