Australia’s Commonwealth Government has released the Maritime Emissions Reduction National Action Plan (MERNAP), which outlines practical actions government and industry can take to continue decarbonisation of the maritime sector.
The maritime sector already employs nearly 29,000 people and contributes $3.8 billion to the Australia economy annually, the Commonwealth states.
Shipping Australia observes that such figures materially understate the importance of maritime and international shipping to the Australian economy, given that shipping is a systemically essential sector for Australia. As an island trading nation, there is no scalable substitute. Shipping supports exports, imports, employment, trade competitiveness, and price stability. It enables access to a wide range of goods and export markets. Seaborne exports from Australia in 2024-2025 stood at 1,608.2 million tonnes and had a total value of AUD$761.5 billion (Source: National Freight Data Hub). Accordingly, 99.8% by volume and 78.3% by value of all cargo that enters or leaves this country is carried by ocean-going ships.
International trade accounts for 1-in-4 jobs in this country; almost three million full-time equivalent jobs are supported by trade-related-economic activity. Additionally, jobs directly associated with exports are paid 9.6 per cent more than the national average (DFAT, 2024).
Commenting on the release of MERNAP, Minister Catherine King commented: ““In a nation where our maritime sector is responsible for 99 per cent of our international trade, the MERNAP is a vital piece of our journey toward a sustainable future. It also presents an unparalleled opportunity to be a low and zero-carbon energy exporter of choice internationally, while creating new jobs and industry within the sustainable maritime sector locally.”
The Commonwealth notes that MERNAP followed an extensive and consultation process with the maritime sector, energy stakeholders, and industry experts.
Shipping Australia filed numerous submissions in the MERNAP process.
Further reading
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (“DFAT”). (2024). Trading nation: How trade and investment contribute to Australian prosperity. Australian Government. https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/trading-nation-how-trade-investment-contribute-to-australian-prosperity.pdf
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. (2026). Australia’s Maritime Emissions Reduction National Action Plan (MERNAP). https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/publications/australias-maritime-emissions-reduction-national-action-plan-mernap
