WESTERN Australia’s ports are entering a period of record trade, major infrastructure investment and rising safety expectations, according to speakers at the 2026 Safe Ships, Safe Ports Forum, where government, industry and global maritime leaders gathered in Perth to discuss the future of port operations, innovation and seafarer welfare.
Around 800 delegates attended the forum on Tuesday, where ports minister Stephen Dawson said the state’s port system continued to underpin national trade, facilitating more than 60% of Australia’s international exports and connecting regional industries to global markets.
He said the scale of the state’s maritime task made safety, collaboration and long‑term investment essential.
“Every vessel movement, every channel transit and every export shipment relies on people making the right decisions, following robust safety systems and continually looking for ways to improve,” Mr Dawson said.
“With trade volumes growing, ongoing investment in infrastructure, technology and people remains critical to the long‑term success of our ports.”
Mr Dawson highlighted several major projects underway across the Pilbara, including the Zone 5 bypass channel at Port Hedland and a new vessel traffic service (VTS) system to strengthen navigational safety. He said projects such as Lumsden Point and the Dampier Cargo Wharf expansion would ensure WA’s ports remained resilient and capable of supporting future industries.
Pilbara Ports chief executive Sam McSkimming said the region’s ports had moved 804 million tonnes of trade and welcomed 9500 vessels over the past year — the largest annual increase in throughput since 2018. He said the Pilbara’s global significance demanded a culture of shared responsibility.
Mr McSkimming centred his address on the organisation’s value of care, describing ports as interconnected ecosystems reliant on collaboration across operators, regulators, customers and seafarers.
“Care is what reminds us of our shared responsibility for the safety and success of the port,” he said. “It’s what brings people back in at two o’clock in the morning because something needs to be made safe. It’s what drives terminal teams to complete shutdowns so ports can return to service on time.”
He said strengthening navigational assurance, expanding VTS capability and improving pilotage services were key priorities as vessel movements increased from 16,000 in 2021 to nearly 25,000 this year.
Mr McSkimming also highlighted a $1.5 billion investment in common‑user infrastructure across Dampier and Port Hedland to support emerging industries, including renewable energy, critical minerals and green fuels.
The forum also heard from Lloyd’s Register COO Mark Darley, who urged industry to recognise the risks that accompany rapid technological change.
Mr Darley said maritime safety had improved dramatically over the past century — with global shipping losses falling from 445 vessels in six months in 1890 to 31 losses in 2025 — but warned new challenges were emerging.
Mr Darley outlined four growing safety gaps: an experience gap as older seafarers retire and digital skills lag; an integration gap caused by fragmented systems and alarm overload; an insight gap where data is collected but not used proactively; and an assurance gap as technology outpaces regulation.
“When you invent the ship, you invent the shipwreck,” Mr Darley said, quoting philosopher Paul Virilio. “Every breakthrough creates opportunity, but it also creates risk. The question is not whether change is happening — it’s how we respond to it.”
He said the industry must strengthen digital resilience, prepare for autonomous systems, and ensure safety frameworks evolve alongside decarbonisation and new fuels.
Across the two‑day forum, delegates from Australia and overseas will examine maritime safety trends, emerging technologies, seafarer welfare, and the infrastructure required to support the next generation of trade.