Australia-UK free trade agreement negotiations begin
AUSTRALIA and the United Kingdom have started negotiations on a free trade agreement. Trade minister Simon Birmingham said Australia was ready to help the UK find “new beginnings”...
Tribunal upholds vessel ban
AN AUSTRALIAN Maritime Safety Authority decision to ban the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Fortune Genius (IMO 9221877) from Australian ports for 12 months has been affirmed by the...
Patrol boat maintenance completed in Cairns
A MAJOR servicing and restoration effort in Cairns has been completed onHMAS Armidale, a patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy. The $5m effort was the first of several major...
Sea Swift defends IR approach in wake of union criticism
CAIRNS-based coastal shipping company Sea Swift says its wants to retain as many jobs as possible despite tough economic conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The...
Fuel security plans must address foreign tanker reliance, says union
THE Maritime Union has urged the Commonwealth to address the nation’s reliance on foreign tankers to transport oil and petroleum products. The union has welcomed the Commonwealth...
Human Rights at Sea denounces ITF’s ‘enough is enough’ call
THE issuing of the ‘enough is enough’ call to action by the International Transport Workers’ Federation on 15 June has been criticised by not-for-profit organisation Human Rights...
Fortescue’s record shipments in March quarter
MINING company Fortescue Metals Group has reported record shipments of iron ore during the 2020 financial year March quarter, defying any possible impact from coronavirus. In...
Transparency focus of free trade agreement negotiations
A MINISTERIAL Advisory Committee is to be established to guide the federal government’s free trade agenda, it has been announced. The announcement was part of a joint statement...
Export resilience shown in Chamber report
A RELATIVELY small drop in exports was a highlight in an otherwise gloomy report into the June quarter from the Australian Chamber-Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends. The report...
U-Freight charters Russian aircraft to deliver PPE
THE U-Freight Group chartered an Aeroflot passenger aircraft, which had been reconfigured to handle freight only, to airfreight more than 2,000 cartons of urgently needed personal...
Focus on deregulation praised by Logistics Council
A COMMITMENT by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to focus the federal government’s Deregulation Taskforce on Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery has been praised by the Australian...
Seafarers beyond breaking point
SEAFARERS around the world have been urged to down tools and exercise their rights to return home as an extended deadline of June 15 to resolve the repatriation issue passes. The...
Inspection recommendation following freight train derailment
RAIL infrastructure managers should ensure effective inspection techniques, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says, following an investigation into a freight train...
Sheep ship set to sail following court ruling
THE Federal Court has cleared the way for a live export ship to leave Fremantle, rejecting an appeal from Animals Australia against an earlier approval from the Department of...
Agriculture outlook dominated by recovery from drought
WHILE the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to present challenges, the outlook for agriculture will be dominated by recovery from drought, according to the June Agriculture...
