Projects are initiated by industry and government partners, always with a clear plan for how the outcomes will be used. The following research areas have been developed over two years after intensive consultation with industry, government and research partners.

R&D PROGRAM 1: FREIGHT PRODUCTIVITY

Lifting performance across Australia’s freight supply chains. This program focuses on improving end-to-end freight system productivity by enabling the system to efficiently and reliably cater for future freight growth, while optimising asset utilisation.

Themes and activities:

Outputs

• National map of critical freight corridors and economic risk exposure
• Climate, disruption and cyber risk assessments with recovery frameworks
• Network resilience and alternative routing models with prioritised interventions
• Freight corridor and precinct safeguarding (land-use protection) frameworks
• Clear, harmonised regulatory and assurance pathways for new freight systems
• Risk allocation, governance and liability models for scalable deployment
• Collaboration, social licence and workforce readiness frameworks

Outcomes

• More resilient freight corridors, hubs and gateways under climate and system stress
• Reduced disruption impacts and faster recovery from major events
• Protected freight corridors from long-term land-use encroachment
• Safer, more certain deployment of new freight technologies
• Stronger industry, workforce and community confidence
• Improved national supply chain reliability and economic security

R&D PROGRAM 2: FREIGHT DECARBONISATION

Accelerating practical decarbonisation across Australia’s freight system. This program prioritises emissions reduction to maintain freight productivity, service reliability and cost competitiveness.

Themes and activities:

Outputs

• National freight emissions baselines and per tonne-kilometre benchmarks
• Customer-ready decarbonisation pathways to 2030 and 2050
• Validated performance, safety and total cost of ownership evidence for low-emissions freight
• Corridor and precinct energy infrastructure deployment plans and grid impact assessments
• Clear regulatory, procurement and investment frameworks to enable transition
• Workforce transition and capability planning guidance

Outcomes

• Reduced emissions intensity per tonne-kilometre across Australia’s freight system
• Commercially viable low-emissions freight adopted at scale
• Faster, lower-risk fleet and corridor transition
• Coordinated fuel and infrastructure investment
• Maintained freight productivity, reliability and cost competitiveness
• Increased investor, customer and export market confidence

R&D PROGRAM 3: FREIGHT RESILIENCE

Strengthening safe, reliable and climate-ready freight networks under increasing system risk. This program focuses on practical system resilience: protecting freight corridors, improving redundancy, strengthening climate adaptation and ensuring safe integration of new technologies.

Themes and activities:

Outputs

• National map of critical freight corridors and economic risk exposure
• Climate, disruption and cyber risk assessments with recovery frameworks
• Network resilience and alternative routing models with prioritised interventions
• Freight corridor and precinct safeguarding (land-use protection) frameworks
• Clear, harmonised regulatory and assurance pathways for new freight systems
• Risk allocation, governance and liability models for scalable deployment
• Collaboration, social licence and workforce readiness frameworks

Outcomes

• More resilient freight corridors, hubs and gateways under climate and system stress
• Reduced disruption impacts and faster recovery from major events
• Protected freight corridors from long-term land-use encroachment
• Safer, more certain deployment of new freight technologies
• Stronger industry, workforce and community confidence
• Improved national supply chain reliability and economic security