The Web in the Storm
Fuel Security and the Fragility of Civilisation
The Web of Long-Haul Shipping
Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump’s seeming retreat from securing global shipping routes has exposed how fragile global supply chains are, but also how irresponsible Australia’s leaders have been in making our fuel capabilities largely dependent on them.
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Around 90% of our refined fuel comes to us through long-haul shipping, mainly from Asia. But around 50%-60% of this refined fuel originates from oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz. While the international situation is stable, Australia’s high standard of living seems as guaranteed as our sunny weather. But the stability of this web of shipping has been shown to be something of an illusion.
Imagine a web in a cabin in the bush, with a storm raging outside. While the cabin stands, the web’s little inhabitants believe the little civilisation they have built is resilient and permanent. But when the cabin is blown apart, the true fragility of this complex web is mercilessly exposed. So it is with the civilisation we have constructed since World War Two.