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AMSA'S Role

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the national safety agency with a primary role in maritime safety, protection of the marine environment and aviation and marine search and rescue. Established under the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Act 1990 as a Commonwealth Authority, AMSA is largely self-funded through levies on the commercial shipping industry. AMSA’s primary areas of responsibility include:

• Participating in the development and implementation of national and international maritime safety and environment protection standards;
• Enforcing operational standards for ships in Australian waters to promote their seaworthiness, safety and pollution prevention;
• Enforcing training standards and competency of seafarers and coastal pilots;
• Providing the national aids to navigation network and navigational systems, including development and application of international navigational safety policy and standards;
• Managing the National Plan that coordinates the national strategy for preparedness and response to marine pollution incidents and protection of the marine environment from oil and chemical pollution;
• Operating the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre to coordinate location and rescue of persons in maritime and aviation distress situations in the internationally agreed Australian Search and Rescue Region of some 53 million square kilometres (one tenth of the earth’s surface);
• Maintaining maritime distress and safety communications services to discharge Australia’s responsibility under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System;
• Providing two ground stations and a Mission Control Centre for the Cospas-Sarsat satellite distress beacon detection system;
• Administering the Australian Ship Reporting System (AUSREP) identifying and tracking ships at sea as a safety measure and to provide a database of ships in a position to respond to an emergency;
• Delivering related services including:
  • Public awareness and education campaigns in marine safety and pollution prevention;
  • Administration of Australia’s ship registration system; and
  • Publication of, and public access to, ship safety and environmental standards.

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