The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has released its report, “New build trends in Australia’s domestic fleet 2023-2024”, featuring the latest innovations in vessel design, materials and certification shaping the industry and highlighting the latest trends influencing the domestic fleet. Continue reading “Six leading trends influencing the Australian domestic fleet”
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued a ‘refusal of access Direction’ to the Netherlands-flagged general cargo ship Marsgracht, banning the ship from entering Australian ports for 180 days.
On 6 February, the Marsgracht was detained at Port Alma for improper stowage of dangerous goods – contrary to the International Maritime Organization’s International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
Despite this, during a port state control inspection at the same port on 14 November 2024, 9 months later, the Marsgracht was again detained for improper stowage of dangerous goods. Continue reading “AMSA bans Marsgracht, a cargo ship from Australian ports”
Starting from 1st April 2019, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has applied changes to shipping registration laws.
Registering a ship: There are no changes to the way that you register a ship on the Australian Registers unless you do not know the vessel’s full ownership history. Namely:
– Ships registered on the Australian general shipping register have Australian nationality.
– Registration of a ship on the Australian general shipping register provides legally and internationally recognisable nationality to your ship. When registered, you will have Australian protection on the high seas and in foreign ports.
Continue reading “AMSA changes to shipping registration have come into force”
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has experienced a steady increase in incident reports from 1,721 in 2013 to 3,017 reports in 2017. This is a 75% increase over a five-year period. For the period from 1 January to 30 June 2018, AMSA received 1,611 incident reports.
– During 2013-2017, the number of ship arrivals to Australian ports has increased by 21%.
From the 1611 incident reports in January-June 2018, the vast majority of occurrences (78%) concerned some form of technical issue.
– Among the technical issues, the most predominant occurrences relate to power, propulsion, and steering. This includes, for example, issues with a vessel’s main and auxiliary engines, and the steering gear and rudder.
AMSA uses incident data in combination with other sources of information, such as inspection and survey reports, research findings, accident investigations, and our day-to-day interaction with vessel crews, owners, and operators. This helps us gain a better understanding of Continue reading “AMSA stresses the importance of marine incident reports”
AMSA, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and regulator, has announced that from 1 July 2018 all domestic commercial vessels that are required to have a certificate of survey will need to be surveyed in accordance with the frequency and requirements in the new marine order 503, and Part 2 of the Marine Surveyor Manual. This includes ‘grandfathered’ vessels, which to date have been surveyed in accordance with the National Standards for the Administration of Marine Safety (NSAMS) 4, the USL Code, or other survey processes.
These changes implement the outcomes of the Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) under the National System for Domestic Continue reading “AMSA takes control of domestic commercial vessels”
AMSA has issued new edition of its publication ‘ Working Boats’ including information regarding changes in its certification and accreditation services.
Currently, even though AMSA is responsible for regulating domestic commercial vessels (DCVs) across Australia, the way you get your services — such as certificates and vessel IDs, undertaking surveys and the fees associated with these services — is not the same around the country. Those services are currently delivered by each state and territory, which sets its own procedures and fees for these services.
Continue reading “AMSA notifies changes in its certification and accreditation services from 2017”
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has issued a marine notice about the international delivery of domestic commercial vessels and near coastal vessels operating overseas in order to provide general guidance to owners and/or operators of domestic commercial vessels.
All Australian commercial vessels 24 metres or more in tonnage length, and any Australian vessel (including domestic commercial vessels and recreational craft) in international waters are required to be registered in accordance with the Shipping Registration Act 1981 (unless a specific exemption applies). All Australian vessels which operate in international waters fall within the definition of a Regulated Australian Vessel (RAV) as a result of s15 of the Navigation Act 2012 (Navigation Act).
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has become aware of a sophisticated rubber fender scam, using a falsification of AMSA’s crest and stamp to endorse rubber fenders.
Ship Safety Division general manager Allan Schwartz said the scam contained what appears to be a certification or approval letter from AMSA’s “quality control department” for the ‘yokohama’ style of fenders, designed for the berthing and mooring of a ship to another ship or berthing structure.
“These letters bear a stamp and crest in the name of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority,” Mr Schwartz said.
The Australian Government has given outline plans and details of its 20 year Antarctica Agenda and Strategic Plan. The plan allows for Australia’s future engagement in the region and options to expand Tasmania’s role as the Antarctic science and logistics hub.
• Protecting Australia’s national interests in Antarctica.
• Supporting and leading national and international Antarctic science.
• Building economic benefits for Tasmania as an Antarctic Gateway city.
• Australia’s future Antarctic station operations, transport and deep field traverse capabilities and support for large field-based research campaigns.
• Effective administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Continue reading “Antarctica Agenda outlined by Australian Government”
IIMS invited Adam Brancher, Manager Standards Domestic Vessel Division AMSA and IIMS Vice President, to give an overview and update on the changing face of maritime safety in Australia and Domestic commercial vessel regulation.
It’s been just over a year since the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), became the national regulator for domestic commercial vessels (DCV) in Australia following major legislative changes. A domestic commercial vessel in Australia is, in simple terms, a vessel used in connection with commercial, governmental or research activity, although there are exclusions.
Previously the states and territories had regulated under their own legislation, which resulted in there being difficulty in some cases when a seafarer or vessel moved between locations, and had to reapply for qualifications or for vessel survey requirements. The move to a single regulator was designed to allow the free movement of people, vessels and to for nationally agreed standards to be used consistently around the country, and when fully realised should have significant safety and economic benefits.
Continue reading “Domestic commercial vessel regulation in Australia”
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