Western Australia has, for the most part, been able to remain open allowing business to (almost) continue as usual.
The West Australian economy was at one time the best performing economy on the planet, thanks in no small part to the significant role that the shipping industry plays within the state. Vessels not only moved record numbers of containerised cargo through Fremantle port, but also assisted in the resurgence in mining volumes being exported.
However, WA also reported a wide variety of challenges too.
Meanwhile, in South Australia, volumes declined somewhat, driven by a decline in export volumes to China and specifically in the volumes of wine, grain, logs, and hay. There was also a steep 20% decline in vessel calls and Adelaide’s status as a deficit port for empty containers also hit volumes.
Find out more about developments in WA and SA here. These articles form part of this year’s Shipping Australia Annual Review of 2021!