The major focus of Shipping Australia, as a peak industry body, is to promote and advance the interests of ship owners and shipping agents in all matters of shipping policy and safe environmentally sustainable ship operations.
SAL’s members cover many of the major Australian and international ship owners, operators and agency companies involved in bulk, tanker, general cargo shipping, container, passenger and heavy lift trades as well as towage.
It also provides Secretariat services to liner companies and agencies that have consortia and joint services agreements registered under Part X of the Australian Competition and Consumer Act, 2012 (Cth). These agreements specifically seek to facilitate and encourage growth of Australia’s international liner shipping trades.
It is in a unique position to reflect the views of all shipping companies servicing the Australian trades and to effectively represent their needs.
Shipping Australia keeps their members informed of developments affecting the industry and represents the industry on many committees involving governments, port authorities and non-government bodies. It also has close working relationships with many organisations (both national and international) that work with or in support of the shipping industry.
The membership includes many valued associate corporate members and individuals who provide services to shipping or have an interest in the activities of the industry.
Shipping Australia also provides a forum for discussion and the exchange of information between members and other parties, researches and compiles data on the industry and maintains formal contacts between the industry, interest groups and the general public.
Objectives
Shipping Australia’s objectives are to influence government and other bodies to adopt policies that:
- Support and promote the development of a regulatory environment which supports the reliable supply of efficient shipping services.
- Implement and support actions taken which are aimed at reducing the costs of shipping services.
- Improve the quality of service to Australia’s exporters and importers.
- Expand the opportunities for shipping services focusing on world’s best practice and safe and environmentally sustainable operating procedures.
- Maintain a high level of maritime security.
- Raise the image and public perception of the shipping industry.
- Expand the information and databases of value to its members.
- Cooperate with all government and non-government organizations in the pursuit of these objectives.
- Ensure that any legislation/regulations adopted in Australia have a positive impact on shipping and are in accordance with Australia’s international obligations.
Contribution to the Australian Economy
Shipping Australia represents an industry that makes a massive contribution to the Australian economy.
- It carries more than $200 billion worth of cargo in and out of Australia each year;
- It employs more than 14,000 people either at sea or onshore;
- It carries more than 150 thousand passengers each year;
- It carries around 6 million containers (20 Foot Equivalent Units) every year;
- It carries more than 500 million tonnes of bulk cargo each year; and
- There are more than 26,000 ship visits to Australian ports each year
Benefits
Shipping Australia helps shape and promote the policies of the shipping industry in Australia and internationally.
The exchange of information between members and the timely advice on developments that might impact on the industry is an invaluable service provided by Shipping Australia.
While some issues are company specific and members may choose to handle them individually they know that Shipping Australia can offer them either administrative support or more broad based industry support from all members becoming involved through the steering group process.
However the savings that Shipping Australia are able to achieve for shipping companies of whatever type or nationality, amount to many millions of dollars and represent excellent value for all members.