The Australian Coastal Shipping Commission Act 1956, proclaimed to come into operation on 1 October 1956 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 54 of 24 September 1956, p. 2917), established the Australian Coastal Shipping Commission.
 
The Act abolished the Australian Shipping Board (CA 130) and transferred all ships and other property to the Commission, which took over the Interstate Shipping Services on 1 January 1957, stipulating, however, that the Board be given time to wind-up its affairs. This winding-up operation was completed by 17 November 1961 and a notice to this effect was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 96 of 30 November 1961, p. 4324.
 
The Commission was a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal; and was capable, in its corporate name and in Australia or elsewhere, of acquiring, holding and disposing of real and personal property and of suing and being sued.
 
The functions of the Commission were to establish, maintain and operate, or to provide for the establishment, maintenance and operation of, shipping services for the carriage of passengers, goods and mails between states, Territories and between the Commonwealth or Territory of same and another country.
 
The Commission had the following powers:
 
(a) to carry on the general business of a ship-owner in relation     to any shipping service operated by the Commission;
 
(b) to purchase, or to take on lease or charter ships required for carrying on the business of the Commission;
 
(c) to dispose of, or to lease or charter, any ship owned by the     Commission and to sub-lease or sub-charter any ship on lease or     charter to the Commission;
 
(d) to purchase or take on lease land, buildings or wharves 
necessary for carrying on the business of the Commission;
 
(e) to dispose of, or grant leases of, land, buildings or wharves     acquired by, or vested in, the Commission;
 
(f) to purchase, or take on hire, plant equipment, stocks or other goods necessary for carrying on the business of the Commission;  

(g) to dispose of plant, equipment, stocks or other goods 
acquired by, or vested in, the Commission;
 
(h) subject to the approval of the Minister, to engage in 
stevedoring operations;
 
(i) to appoint agents for the purpose of the business of 
the Commission;  

(j) to act as agent for other persons;
 
(k) to train, or arrange for the training of, persons to fit them     for employment as officers or seamen in merchant ships;
 
(l) to compound, release or settle claims by or against the Commission, whether in contract or in tort; and
 
(m) to do anything incidental to its powers.
 
The Commission was, initially, to consist of five Commissioners appointed by the Governor-General. The first Commissioners were:  
   J.P. Williams - Chairman
   K.W. Edwards - Vice-Chairman
   A.G. Thomson
   H.P. Weymouth
   D.C.L. Williams
 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. 55, 27 Sept. 1956, p. 2943)
 
The general manager was F.J. Minkovich and the Secretary 
was D. Mackay.  

In 1968 the powers of the Commission were extended by the Australian Coastal Shipping Commission Act 1968 (No. 145 of 1968) to allow it to participate in the formation of an incorporated company; to acquire and hold shares or stocks in the capital of an incorporated company; and to enter into a partnership.
 
The Australian Coastal Shipping Commission traded as the Australian National Line. On 18 October 1974 the Australian Shipping Commission Act 1974 (No. 83 of 1974) changed the title of the Commission to the Australian Shipping Commission "in recognition of the developing international nature of its activities" (Australian Shipping Commission, Annual Report 1976, Parliamentary Paper No. 362/1976). The Act of 1974 also increased the number of Commissioners to seven.
 
The Australian National Line was Australia's major ship-owner operating both coastal and overseas services. It was the sole Australian operator of interstate sea passenger services. At first some ships were offered for overseas trading as an alternative to laying them up, but over the years the overseas services expanded. 
By 1975, the Australian National Line was involved in the following overseas enterprises:  
(1) Australian National Line/Associated Container Transportation     (Australia): In conjunction with the United Kingdom based     Associated Container Transportation (Australia) Ltd., services     are operated to Europe, New Zealand, and, through the PACE     (Pacific American Container Express) service, to east coast North American Ports.
 
(2) Pacific Australian Directline: the Australian National Line has 
a 25% shareholding in Pacific Australian Directline which trades     with the North American west coast.
 
(3) Eastern Searoad Service: In conjunction with the Flinders Shipping Company Ltd. and a number of Japanese firms, the Eastern Searoad Service trades with Japan.
 
(4) ANLINE: The first overseas line operated by the Australian     National Line on its own, ANLINE links Eastern Australia with the Philippines, Korea and Hong Kong. It was inaugurated in 1975.
 
In 1977 the chief officers of the Australian National Line were 
Chairman: N.G. Jenner; Vice-Chairman: Sir Reginald Reed; 
General Manager: R.D. Robin; Secretary: G.W. Spotswood; Commissioners: D.J. Cowan, C.H. Fitzgibbon, R.D. Robin, R.M. Taylor, and R.M. Whyte.
 
The Australian Shipping Commission ceased operations 30 June 1989. The ANL (Conversion into Public Company) Act 1988 converted Australian National Line into ANL Limited, a wholly owned government company.
 

  1956-by1958: 400 Collins Street, Melbourne
by1958-? 1989: 73 Riverside Avenue, South Melbourne

Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Acts, No. 41 of 1956, Australian Coastal Shipping Commission Act 1956.
Renaming: Commonwealth of Australia Acts, No. 83 of 1974, Australian Shipping Commission Act 1974