Media Release

Australian ship salvage and places of refuge

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the Association of Australian Ports and Marine Authorities have called for a combined Federal, State and maritime industry approach to ship salvage and the provision of places of refuge for casualty ships.

The drafting of national risk assessment guidelines for providing places of refuge will be developed with input from the maritime industry for consideration by Federal and State Governments.

These guidelines will have implications for the updating of salvage and ship refuge recommendations in the National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious and Hazardous Substances.

A conference and workshop of government maritime and port authorities and maritime industry representatives from Australia and overseas, held in Sydney this week discussed the practical and legal implications of ship refuge access and salvage operations around the Australian coastline.

Key issues covered Commonwealth and State powers of intervention, legal implications for all organisations involved in a salvage operation and criteria for selecting and identifying places of refuge.

Attention also focussed on the availability, capability and future funding of sea-going tugs in strategic ports around Australia for salvage purposes and the power to requisition them. This was particularly so when lives were at risk and the environment endangered.

Other matters included major salvage challenges in the application of awards under Lloyds Open Forum 2000 (LOF) and Special Compensation P and I Clause (SCOPIC).

The conference workshop was facilitated by Thompson Clarke Shipping.

Further information:

AMSA Public Relations 02 6279 5888

AAPMA: 02 9247 7581

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