Tasmanian Shipping Transition Assistance Fund

Formal offers of assistance have now been made to eligible Tasmanian exporters under the $14.5 million Tasmanian Shipping Assistance Fund (the Fund).

The Fund was established as part of the Australian Government's one-off $20 million assistance package for Tasmanian exporters accessing international markets and was open for applications from 18 June 2012 to 18 July 2012.

Following an assessment by the Department, all 36 exporters that submitted applications under the Fund were deemed eligible for assistance. Two further applications were initially submitted but were withdrawn by the applicants before the closing date. There were also a number of other businesses that made inquiries during the application window, but which did not then go on to submit applications.

Eligible applicants cover a wide range of exports, including metal products, plastic products, primary produce such as vegetables, dairy, meat, fish products, timber and skins and hides.

In total, applicants under the Fund exported 30,424 full, twenty-foot-equivalent containers (TEUs) in the period from 1 May 2011 to 30 April 2012.

There were two categories of grant funding available-shipping transition assistance to exporters that used the AAA international container shipping service from Bell Bay in the six-month period prior to its cessation (Category 1); and assistance to other Tasmanian exporters to support their ongoing competitiveness in accessing international markets (Category 2).

While offers have been made, the payment of grant monies is still subject to agreement by eligible applicants to the specific terms and conditions of the funding. Once the necessary formal documentation is in order the Department will be processing payments to eligible grant recipients as quickly as possible.

The full list of eligible applicants that have been made grant offers is provided below.