Victorian Ports System: White paper

Ports

The Victorian ports system has continuously evolved to become a series of four commercial and 14 local ports across Victoria today. They are on the front line of Australia’s international trade and border protection:

  1. Receiving and distributing agricultural commodities and manufactured goods around the globe
  2. Servicing commercial fishing, boat repair and ferry sectors
  3. Supporting the oil and gas industry
  4. Enabling marine pollution preparedness and response.

But the Victorian ports system does not operate in isolation to achieve this. It is, in fact, a system within a system, providing the interface between the world and Australian society and supply chains. It is critical for the functioning of both the Victorian and Australian economy. Therefore, it is important that ports conduct their activities safely, efficiently and effectively, having the resilience to withstand interruption and the ability to thrive to deliver to the suggestion vision for the Victorian ports system.

Shoal’s White Paper was prepared in response to the Independent Review of the Victorian Ports System and the release of a discussion paper for public comment, released by the Minister for Ports and Freight, the Hon. Melissa Horne, at a Ports Round Table event on 30 January 2020. The discussion paper sets out a range of themes, issues and options for consideration. One thing missing, however, from the vision documented in the discussion paper of the Victorian Ports System was a plan around national resilience.

In Shoal’s White Paper, we present national resilience for inclusion in their vision, recommending a systems approach to ports strategy. The Paper includes discussion around the development a resilience framework to support decision-making for planning, strategy and operational delivery for the ports, as a resilient system.

Read our Victorian Ports White Paper.