Ports Australia, representing the ports community at the national level in Australia, is calling for recognition of ports and their personnel as essential services in all Australian states, following the federal government’s announcement of the closure of non-essential services around the country to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
“Our supply chains are critical to ensure fuel, food and other much-needed essential commodities are being delivered around the nation and it is imperative that our ports stay open and their personnel allowed to keep working,” the statement read.
Additionally, miners in Australia also support this request as they need ports to ship their products. The mining industry will also need the rail and trucking industries to be considered essential industries to remain operational.