Urea shortages could bring trucks to a halt

Half of the state’s heavy vehicle fleet could be brought to a standstill in a matter of weeks amid a global shortage of high-grade urea, WA’s peak trucking body has warned.

After battling labour shortages, increasing operating costs and border closures, the industry is now facing a threat on another front.

Major urea exporter China, which supplies about 80 per cent of the Asia-Pacific’s high-grade urea, has almost halted exports of the substance required to manufacture critical diesel fuel additive AdBlue.

As national industry bodies NatRoad and the Australian Trucking Association meet with deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce today to lobby for urgent action, Western Roads Federation chief executive Cam Dumesny has warned WA would be the state most at risk.

He also warned it was likely other modes of transport would be affected, which could lead to increases to the cost of living and make it harder for local businesses.

“Without the additive effectively nearly half of WA’s heavy vehicle fleet will become inoperative, there are no realistically practical work arounds,” he said.

“If this global shortage continues to develop, then Western Australia will be the most at risk state in Australia.”

It is understood the situation is expected to deteriorate by February next year.