One of the Port of Newcastle's major trading partners has advised it that ongoing climate protests on the city's harbour were making it an unreliable supplier of coal.
The port, which exported more than 154 million tonnes of coal last year, made the revelation on Monday after a flotilla of Rising Tide activists prevented the arrival of two coal ships on Sunday morning.
The activists entered the shipping channel at 8am aboard kayaks and a small boat displaying a banner bearing 'Stop HVO", a reference to the proposed expansion of the Hunter Valley Operations coal mine.
If approved, the mine would be the largest in the state's history.
The protest prevented the arrival of the coal ship Marielena, which was scheduled to arrive at 8.30am. Another ship scheduled for arrival at 9:30am, Seacon Seattle, was cancelled.
Police issued the boat's occupants 85-year-old June Norman and Campbell Knox, with a move-on direction, which was complied with.
No arrests were made. However, a police statement on Monday said inquiries into the incident were continuing.
Port of Newcastle executive manager corporate affairs Lucas Coleman, said the protesters should have been charged to the full extent of the law.
"When did it become optional for people to obey the law? It is a slippery slope if we continue to allow individuals to commit offences and not hold them to account for such actions," he said.
"Blocking a commercial shipping channel and preventing vessels from entering a port in NSW is a serious offence. Not charging people for such offences simply emboldens them to continue that behaviour in the future."
Mr Coleman confirmed that a key unnamed trading partner recently advised the port that it was becoming an unreliable supplier.
"Port of Newcastle regularly meets with key trading partners, which includes foreign government agencies and organisations and what we are hearing is we are becoming an unreliable trading partner, with the ongoing protests and its impact on the reliability of supply cited as an issue for existing and future energy security," Mr Coleman said.
"Our trading partners future energy transition plans and their achievement of net zero are well known. However, there is still a need to maintain their current energy security until that time comes. Given Rising Tide's ongoing disruptions, there is concern that we cannot ensure supply now, so why would they trust us with their energy needs for the future.
"We have been very clearly told, to transition we require a 'soft landing', and for the first time in a relationship that has existed for decades, trust in Newcastle's ability to deliver that energy security is being questioned."
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley condemned the weekend's protest.
"Let's be clear: this is not spontaneous protest, it is coordinated disruption of a working port," she said.
It is wrong, it is dangerous, and I back NSW Police and the authorities doing what is needed to keep people safe, keep the port open and keep ships moving."
