AMSA's Role
Highlights 2002 -2003
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Outcomes and outputs 2002 - 2003
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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 ship-sourced pollution.
- Operating the Australian Search and Rescue (AusSAR) 24-hour 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.
- Delivering related services including:
- public awareness and education 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.
- public awareness and education in marine safety and