The Kokoda’s stated capabilities include delivering fertiliser, general cargo, and equipment, with future ships planned to carry petrol and diesel to affected areas.

Context: 99% of Australia’s trade moves by sea, most on foreign-flagged vessels, fueling the push for a sovereign-capable fleet to strengthen national security and supply-chain sovereignty.

The long-term plan envisions a 12-vessel fleet that can be requisitioned in emergencies, building resilience for natural disasters and other disruptions.

Labor’s 2022 plan aimed to build a 12-ship fleet with a $21 million government funding package over five years, but tender announcements for three ships have been delayed past the original 2025 target.

A 2023 government-commissioned report warned Australia could struggle to access maritime assets in emergencies, underscoring the need to reverse the decline in domestic shipping capacity.

Industry leaders emphasize the fleet’s importance for safeguarding supply chains and economic security, urging stronger policy action and ongoing expansion from ANL Container Line and Maritime Industry Australia.

The Transport Minister says the fleet will reduce reliance on international shipping and bolster domestic maritime resilience, calling it an “incredible chapter in Australia’s maritime history.”

The move comes amid urgency from global events and a long-term decline in large Australian-flagged ships, from over 100 historically to just nine today.

The Kokoda operates with a crew of 36, and efforts are underway to secure additional vessels to grow the fleet.

Australia is launching a strategic maritime fleet, beginning with the ANL Kokoda, a 175-metre vessel that marks the first step in a planned national fleet designed for emergencies and national crises.

The government has started assembling Australian-flagged and crewed ships, with the Kokoda as the pilot for a three-ship phase and a broader goal of a 12-ship privately owned, commercially operated fleet that can be requisitioned during disasters or supply disruptions.

Industry stakeholders are divided: Maritime Industry Australia supports the sovereign capability, while some shipping groups seek cheaper, alternative solutions to skills gaps and disruptions.