Organisation structure
Areas of Operation
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the national safety agency responsible for maritime safety, protection of the marine environment and aviation and marine search and rescue. It commenced operations on 1 January 1991 as a statutory authority established under the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Act 1990.
AMSA's services are mainly provided on a cost recovery basis from fee and levy revenue sources. It also receives Community Service Obligation funding from the Commonwealth Government specifically relating to aviation and maritime search and rescue operations and boating safety education.
Structure
Board
Management of AMSA is the responsibility of a seven member Board, including the Chief Executive. Members are drawn from private industry and government and bring appropriate skills and expertise to the conduct of AMSA's important commercial and safety maritime activities.
More information on Board members
Executive
AMSA's Executive Section is made up of the Office of the Chief Executive, Office of General Counsel, the Corporate Secretary and Public Relations.
AMSA's head office is in Canberra and its principal offices in Brisbane, Queensland, Sydney, New South Wales, Melbourne, Victoria, Adelaide, South Australia and Fremantle, Western Australia. The Authority is structured into four Divisions.
Maritime Standards Division
is responsible for providing strategic advice and operational oversight on maritime safety matters and associated environmental and navigational issues, which involves:
- Representing Australia in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the development, implementation and enforcement of international standards governing ship safety, navigation, marine environment protection, ship operations, maritime security, crew competency, training and fatigue management.
- Developing Australia's maritime regulatory framework based upon these international standards and contemporary safety management systems primarily through the making of subordinate legislation, Marine Orders, under the Commonwealth Navigation Act 1912 and Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983.
- Promulgating policy and guidelines for the discharge of the range of powers and functions allocated to AMSA under relevant Commonwealth legislation, relating to ship construction standards, ship survey and safety, crewing, seafarers' qualifications and welfare, occupational health and safety, carriage and handling of cargoes, passengers and regulation of marine pollution.
- Managing the National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and Other Noxious and Hazardous Substances (the National Plan) to provide oil and chemical pollution preparedness and response services in consultation with State/Northern Territory governments, port corporations and authorities, shipping, oil, exploration and chemical industries, and emergency services.
- Contributing to environment protection initiatives and education and information sharing on marine pollution prevention.
- Providing the national network of integrated aids to navigation and coastal traffic management measures that meet the requirements of commercial shipping for safe and efficient coastal navigation.
- Participating in the development and application of international navigation safety policy and standards, principally through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
Maritime Operations Division
is responsible for monitoring ship, crew and coastal pilot compliance with maritime safety standards, which involves:
- Conducting inspections of ships, cargoes and related equipment to monitor compliance with standards for the condition of ships, compliance with operational, occupational health and safety and coastal pilotage requirements and the correct handling and loading of certain cargoes.
- Monitoring compliance by Australian flag ships and their operators with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code under the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention.
- Exercising rights under international conventions to inspect foreign flag ships visiting Australian ports through the port State control program to monitor their compliance with international standards.
- Participating in regional forums to promote consistency in port State control standards and exchange of ship inspection data with neighbouring countries.
- Providing occupational health and safety inspectorate services under the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993.
- Ensuring safety training and maritime qualifications of crew on ships operating under the Navigation Act 1912 meet the standards of the Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 95) Convention.
- Administering the licensing system for coastal pilots and safety regulation of coastal pilotage services under the Navigation Act 1912.
- Manages the Australian Register of Ships delivering ship registration services for the commercial shipping, fishing and boating sectors.
Emergency Response Division
is responsible for delivering national search and rescue coordination and marine pollution response services, which involve:
- Providing a 24 hour Rescue Coordination Centre servicing the internationally agreed Australian Search and Rescue Region for the aviation and maritime sectors.
- Assuming coordination of maritime and aviation search and rescue incidents.
- Providing a maritime distress and safety communications network that meets the requirements of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention and also can be used by suitably equipped non-SOLAS vessels.
- Administering a ship reporting system that identifies and tracks ships at sea as a safety measure and provides a database of ships that may be in a position to respond to an emergency.
- Providing training and specialist search and rescue equipment to selected general aviation operators designated as Search and Rescue Units (SRUs) around Australia.
- Contributing to international and national issues of significance concerning aviation and maritime search and rescue activities, maintaining and enhancing strategic relationships and increasing public awareness of maritime safety issues.
- Providing a maritime safety communications network that broadcasts and receives safety and navigation information to and from ships at sea.
Corporate Services Division
provides common support services to AMSA, including financial management, human resources, property and business services, information technology and records management.