Chairman's Report
AMSA, 14th Annual Report, 2003 - 2004
It was with great pleasure that I returned to the Chairmanship of the AMSA Board in October 2003. AMSA continues to be a progressive government agency with a keen focus on efficient delivery of its safety and environment protection services within a strong corporate governance framework.
AMSA’s sound financial performance was again demonstrated in 2003-2004 with another surplus, mainly resulting from strong growth in shipping activity contributing to higher than expected levy receipts. The Minister agreed with the Board recommendation for a fifteen per cent reduction in AMSA’s main levies, the Marine Navigation Levy and Regulatory Functions Levy. Regulations were made to reduce the levies from 1 July 2004. This represented the twelfth time that AMSA levies have been reduced since it was created in 1991. It also reflected one of the objects in AMSA’s establishment legislation to promote the efficient provision of its services.
The Board also welcomed the boost to AMSA’s Community Service Obligation funding in the 2004 Federal Budget, with an additional $18.9 million being allocated over the next four years to support initiatives strengthening AMSA’s search and rescue capability. The main projects currently being implemented are the contracting of a dedicated twin turbine engine aircraft in Darwin on 24-hour standby to provide search and rescue services and a major upgrade of AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre. The latter involves improved communication and search coordination systems to enhance interaction of strategic information, particularly with other search and rescue agencies.
AMSA’s sustained involvement in the work of the International Maritime Organization in developing and implementing international shipping standards was again rewarded with another high vote for Australia’s re-election to the IMO’s governing Council in November 2003. Shortly after the appointment of Mr E Mitropoulos as the new IMO Secretary-General, AMSA was honoured to welcome him to Australia when he addressed AMSA’s National Shipping Industry Conference held in Melbourne in February 2004.
AMSA continues to take a leadership role in regional forums aimed at improving ship safety and promoting environment protection. Both the Committees of the Asia/Pacific (Tokyo) and Indian Ocean Memoranda of Understanding on Port State Control are adopting Australian initiatives in targeting ship inspection of high-risk ships and establishing ship databases for exchange of ship information.
AMSA’s risk-based targeting system for ship inspection has resulted in a continuing higher trend in the ship detention rate in 2003. However, this is not an indicator of deteriorating ship standards in our region, but a sign of AMSA’s success in targeting high risk ships for inspection with a greater likelihood of detention and correspondingly reducing the inspection burden on responsible shipowners.
Another area of focus for AMSA continues to be ship safety and pollution prevention measures to protect the unique ecology of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait.
AMSA is giving priority to pursuing IMO approval for extending the compulsory pilotage regime currently applying in areas of the Great Barrier Reef to the navigationally hazardous waters of Torres Strait. This is an important initiative that has been made necessary because of the large number of vessels that disregard the existing IMO recommendation for pilotage through this environmentally sensitive region. AMSA also has succeeded in gaining IMO endorsement for the upgraded Coastal Vessel Traffic Service to formally become operative from December 2004. This involves the integration of technological and communications advances to improve ship monitoring in harmonisation with Emergency Response Division services.
AMSA continued to work closely with the Department of Transport and Regional Services’ Office of Transport Security in contributing to the implementation of its Maritime Transport Security Act 2003. AMSA was pleased to note that Australia’s maritime security regime was fully implemented to meet the international deadline of 1 July 2004. AMSA looks forward to continuing to provide technical and operational assistance to the Department in this regard.
There were a number of changes to the membership of the AMSA Board during the year. It was with deep sadness that the Board learnt of the passing in May 2004 of Mr Barry Vellnagel, who had been a member of the Board since April 2002 and had a long association with AMSA. He was a highly valued member of the Board and his experience in the maritime industry, both in the public and private sectors, will be greatly missed in our deliberations.
The Board also farewelled Mrs Sarina Bratton, whose term of appointment expired in April 2004. She had been a Board member since 1996 and made an outstanding contribution, especially over the last two years as Deputy Chair and Chair of the Board Audit Committee. I am very grateful to Captain John Paine for his support in succeeding to the role of Deputy Chair and to Mr Tony Hyams, who assumed the Chair of the Audit Committee.
We also were pleased to welcome the reappointment of Mrs Virginia Chadwick and to acknowledge the continuing close working relations between AMSA and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. In August 2004, the Minister announced his reappointment of Dr Ken Moss to the Board and that Mr Allan Thomson AM would be joining the Board. Their expertise in the maritime industry and strong corporate governance experience greatly strengthen the Board’s range of skills.
The Board welcomed the Minister’s announcement in April 2004 of the reappointment of Mr Clive Davidson as Chief Executive Officer and the continuity that this will bring in AMSA’s strategic direction over the next three years. On behalf of the Board, I would like to express our appreciation for the dedicated and professional service of all AMSA staff members over the last year. We look forward to another busy and successful year in 2004-2005.
EDWARD G. ANSON, AM
Chairman
September 2004
Role of AMSA | Highlights 2003-2004 | Chairman's Report | Board Members | Corporate Structure | Financial Snapshot and Performance Summary | Overview of Financial Performance 2003-2004 | Outcomes and Outputs Chart 2003-2004 | Activities in 2003-2004 Output 1.1 | Activities in 2003-2004 Output 1.2 | Activities in 2003-2004 Output 1.3 | Activities in 2003-2004 Output 1.4 | Activities in 2003-2004 Output 2.1 | Corporate Services | Shipping Registration | Staffing Reports | Report of Operations | Financial Statements | Appendices | AMSA Regulatory Plan 2003-2004 | AMSA Information/Offices | Compliance Index | Glossary | Index