Fremantle Ports was concerned that visiting cruise ships had advanced onboard recycling systems, but once offloaded in Australia, their carefully sorted recyclables were sent to landfill due to biosecurity regulations. Investigations revealed that this issue was nationwide, affecting all Australian cruise ports and even New Zealand, despite successful recycling models overseas.
Fremantle Ports initiated action, with recycling trials launched for cruise ships in Fremantle, bringing together biosecurity officers, cruise lines, and waste service providers to explore solutions. The success of these trials informed a national recycling pilot led by the Australian government, highlighting the potential for regulatory change.
To further develop best practices, their Senior Environmental Advisor embarked on a Churchill Fellowship, undertaking global benchmarking of leading maritime waste management systems. The findings demonstrated that Australia can transition from deep-burial landfill towards a circular economy for ship waste—sparking policy reform, industry collaboration, and investment in port reception facilities.
Now that the opportunity is being realized: by aligning regulations with international best practices, waste can be transformed into a resource, emissions can be reduced, and sustainable solutions can be implemented across Australian ports.