It goes almost without saying that, as an island nation, Australia has a huge, vested interest in the success of marine pilotage, and in the safety and skills of all those who provide and support that service.
The vast majority of Australia’s import and export trade is by sea. And the presence of the world heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef just off our coastline, and Queensland’s duty to protect it for our own and future generations, only adds a further layer to that vested interest.
Government can, and does, invest in technology and infrastructure to support safe navigation. But there remains nothing more important in protecting our ports and coastline from the possible adverse effects of shipping incidents, than the safety and skills of marine pilots. Pilotage is a primary risk control for the safe movement of shipping within designated Queensland ports, safeguarding against serious marine incidents which can have far-reaching public safety, environmental and economic consequences.
DID YOU KNOW?
- More than 16,000 ships annually visit Queensland’s 18 active trading ports, three non-trading ports and its mainland and island coastline of 13,347 kilometres.
- These 16,000 ships facilitate almost 350 million tonnes of throughput, and more than $170 billion in economic benefit to the state*.
- Additionally, over 12,000 ships move through the Great Barrier Reef each year
These movements are monitored by MSQ’s Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), operating from 5 port VTS centres and 2 Reef VTS centres across Queensland – 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
The Queensland government is committed to actively working with industry to ensure that maritime activity within our state occurs safely and efficiently and is ready to respond if incidents occur to safeguard the States freight supply chains through the States 18 trading ports.
That is a task that requires not only constant vigilance by the States marine regulator, MSQ, but also a willingness to engage with industry as a partner, not just as a regulator, and to learn from industry where it can.
That is why conferences such as this one are important if we are to achieve the fundamental goals that we all aim for – safety of life at sea, safe usage of our ports and zero ship-sourced pollution of our waters.
- April 07, 2025
Last week I was overjoyed to be asked to attend and speak at the Australasian Marine Pilots Institute (AMPI) Regional Ports and Pilotage Conference on behalf of my colleague, Brent Mickelberg, Minister for Transport and Main Roads.
Here we welcomed marine pilots, regulators, port corporations and authorities and other key maritime stakeholders across Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Singapore, Finland, the Netherlands and the Sultanate of Oman.
