Australia is the world’s 5th largest user of shipping services. The mining and minerals industry generated $455 billion in 2024—just over a quarter of gross domestic product. The industry relies on sea freight to do so. Western Australia’s Port Hedland is Australia’s busiest port and the world’s largest bulk export facility. In 2022 it handled over 450 million tonnes of iron ore.
Photo by Chris Pagan
Australia also possesses rich maritime resources. Fisheries and aquaculture earn about $3.6 billion annually and employ approximately 17,000 people. The oil and gas industry often extracts fuels from platforms at sea and depends on fleets of tankers to move fuels to market. Oil and gas exports generate around $450 billion per year.
Although Australia has crude oil resources, it exports nearly all of it and only two oil refineries still operate in Australia. Around 90 per cent of liquid fuels (petrol, diesel and aviation gasoline) is imported. If not replenished, normal usage would exhaust Australian liquid fuel stockholdings in less than 30 days. The International Energy Agency stockholding obligation is 90 days. All imported fuel is brought in by sea; the protection of fuel supply is vital.
Australia’s dependence on imports has increased with globalisation, free trade, and the concentration of manufacturing and engineering in emerging economies. In the late 1930s, Australia imported about 0.8 tonnes of freight per head of population, virtually all of it by sea. In 2020-21, imports by sea were 3.8 tonnes per head—over four times greater. Those imports include: motor vehicles, electrical goods, pharmaceuticals, plastics, machinery, furniture, and clothing. Australia's reliance seaborne trade means, historian and strategist T. B. Millar has argued, that an adversary need not invade in order to defeat Australia. Stopping trade would stop Australia.
The RAN acknowledges its responsibility to protect Australia’s trade and maritime resources. Alongside agencies such as the Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police, the RAN maintains patrol craft to protect fisheries, monitors the security of oil and gas platforms, and works with the global shipping industry to ensure the nation’s prosperity continues.
Learn more:
Asian Energy Security: Regional Cooperation in the Malacca Strait
Fiji’s ‘Blue Economy’ and the importance of maritime security
The Blue Economy: Proceedings of the RAN Sea Power Conference 2017