Title: Short sea shipping: lessons for or from Australia

Authors: Helen B. Bendall, Mary R. Brooks

Addresses: MariTrade, P.O. Box 519 Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia. ' Dalhousie University, 6100 University Ave., Halifax NS B3H 1W7, Canada

Abstract: This paper builds on two separate but linked streams of research. It reviews the short sea research conducted in North America, where large-scale studies have been undertaken in both Canada and the USA over the past five years. These are compared and contrasted with studies from Australia, where coastal shipping has also received considerable attention, including a government investigation into the industry. This paper examines the lessons from these studies by answering four research questions, drawing conclusions about the role of the regulatory environment in promoting or deterring the development of land transport-competitive short sea services. It also identifies research agenda gaps remaining. The paper focuses on what governments need to consider if they seek to induce switching from land modes, like truck or rail, to coastal shipping in order to revitalise the domestic industry or improve GHG-efficiency in the transport sector or both.

Keywords: short sea shipping; Australia; regulation; mode switching; maritime reform; Canada; USA; United States; coastal shipping; regulatory environment; truck; rail; land transport.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2011.041134

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2011 Vol.3 No.4, pp.384 - 405

Published online: 21 Feb 2015 *

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