Australia Coal Port Set to Restart After Climate Protest Brings Shipping to a Halt
One of Australia’s biggest coal export hubs, the Port of Newcastle, will restart operations on Monday after climate activists disrupted shipping for the second day in a row, the port operator confirmed.
The protests were led by Rising Tide, a climate action group that said hundreds of activists paddled kayaks into Newcastle Harbour’s shipping lane on Sunday morning, violating an exclusion zone and forcing major vessel movements to stop.
Located about 170 km north of Sydney, the Port of Newcastle is the largest bulk shipping port on Australia’s east coast. The disruption halted general cargo operations, including alumina headed to Tomago, the country’s biggest aluminium smelter.
A port spokesperson said, “Vessel ops will resume tomorrow as scheduled,” signalling that normal movements are expected to restart after the chaotic weekend.
Rising Tide claimed that more than 100 people were arrested, though police have confirmed only 21 arrests so far, linked to “marine-related offences.”
Greenpeace Australia Pacific also joined the action, saying three activists boarded a coal ship, preventing it from operating.
Joe Rafalowicz, head of climate and energy at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the demonstrations were part of a broader peaceful protest, adding, “Thousands of everyday people are taking action this weekend.”
The tension escalated on Saturday too, when another protest forced an incoming ship to turn back. Police arrested 11 people that day. A similar multi-day demonstration last year resulted in 170 arrests.
Coal remains one of Australia’s biggest exports, alongside iron ore. Despite that, the federal government has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, a target that continues to spark debate across the country.
