Australian coastal shipping : the vital link

Australia is a large continent with a relatively small population clustered around the coasts. The distances between the population centres mean that coastal transport is vital in supplying goods to those centres. Coastal shipping has declined during the 20th century but remains an integral part of the domestic transport network due to the type of cargo carried and the difficulties of using road and rail transport to service the areas covered by the coastal network. This book gives a brief history of coastal trading, details of the coastal fleet and trading routes and ports. There are numerous diagrams, tables and sets of figures. The conclusion of the book considers the defence implications of coastal shipping.