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Highlights 2004-2005

AMSA, 15th Annual Report, 2004 - 2005

International Maritime Organization

AMSA continues to participate in the IMO’s development and implementation of ship safety and environment protection measures relevant to Australia. Major achievements included:

Advancing measures to address the risk associated with conducting lifeboat drills and with lifeboat release systems.
IMO approval of the Voluntary Member State Audit Scheme to improve flag State responsibility and accountability.
IMO development of revised guidelines for the designation of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas.

Great Barrier Reef ship safety and pollution prevention

Completion of the recommendations relevant to AMSA from the 2001 Review of Great Barrier Reef Ship Safety and Pollution Prevention Measures:

IMO approval of the extension to Torres Strait of the Particularly Sensitive Sea Area applying to the GBR and the associated protective measures in relation to ship routeing and pilotage;
Implementation of IMO approved Coastal Vessel Traffic Service in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait from 1 December 2004;
Strengthening regulatory framework for coastal pilots and related fatigue management;
Improving coordination of Emergency Response Division services;
Development of conventional and electronic aids to navigation.

Ship safety compliance monitoring

AMSA keeps pursuing initiatives to improve the quality of foreign flag ships operating in Australian waters:

Further refinement of AMSA’s targeting system for ship safety inspections towards higher risk ships and focused inspections at specific safety issues;
Ongoing development of ship information databases and sharing of ship inspection data though regional forums;
Broadening of responsibility for ship safety to include the role of charterers and cargo owners;
Providing leadership in regional forums to adopt targeting techniques and improve ship data collection and exchange.

Search and Rescue

There has a been a number of developments in relation to AMSA’s search and rescue operations, including:

The 2005 Federal Budget’s additional funding of $54.7 million over the next four years for contracting four turbine engine aircraft dedicated to search and rescue;
Commencement of the dedicated search and rescue service in Darwin by a turbine engine aircraft in February 2005 from the $18.9 million additional funding provided in the 2004 Federal Budget;
Upgrading of AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre to an Emergency Response Division Centre by adopting advanced communications systems from the additional funding in the 2004 Federal Budget.
Promotion of ship and boating safety awareness, in particular adoption and effective use of 406MHz distress beacons.

National and International Conference

AMSA jointly held the biennial International Oil Spill Conference, Spillcon 2004, in August 2004, and plans AMSA shipping workshops in Perth, Sydney and Darwin in July, September and October 2005, respectively.

November 2005