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Review of ship safety and pollution prevention measures in the Great Barrier Reef

(This report can also be accessed in a print-friendly (pdf) format)

Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

• Terms of Reference
• The Way Ahead A Shipping Management Plan
• Conduct of the Review
• Significance of the Great Barrier Reef
• The Torres Strait

Shipping In The Great Barrier Reef

• Operational Considerations
  • Shipping Routes
  • Shipping Movements
  • Shipping Incidents
  • Risks of Shipping Incidents
• Indigenous Considerations
• Technical Considerations
• Legal Considerations

Extension of the Compulsary Pilotage Area

• Where Can Pilotage Reduce Risk?
• Proposals to Extend Compulsory Pilotage
  • Torres Strait
  • South of Cairns
  • Whitsunday Islands
• Implications of Extending Compulsory Pilotage
  • Increased Transport Costs
  • Availability of Skilled Pilots
  • Exemptions from Pilotage
  • Dual Watch Systems
  • Fatigue Management
  • Infrastructure
  • Impact of Competition
  • Education and Awareness

Advancing Technology

• Risk Assessment
• Early Introduction of Automatic Identification Systems
• Automated Position Reports
• Ship Reporting System Management Role
• Ship Monitoring in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait
• Electronic Navigation and Charting
• Other Technologies

Enhancing Ship Routeing, Traffic Management and Emergency Response Division

• Ship Routeing
  • Fairway Channel
• Chart Changes
  • Whitsunday Passage
  • Two Way Routes
  • Marine Environment High Risk Areas
  • International Campaign
  • Fishing Areas Marked on Charts
• Traffic Management
  • Include Fishing Vessel Data
  • Industry Forum
• Emergency Response Division
  • Salvage Tugs
  • Safe Havens
  • Pollution Response Timeframe
  • Assessment of Chemical Spills 

Constraining Certain Ship Types

• Outer Route
• Legal Limitations on Controlling Foreign Ships Under International Law
• Impact of a Complete Ban on the Inner Route
• Types of Ships and Cargoes
• Port State Control
• Confidential Reporting
• Double Hulled Tankers

Improving Legislative Powers

• International law
• UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
• Great Barrier Reer
• Great Barrier Reef as a Particularly
• Sensitive Sea Area
• Extending the Existing Compulsory Pilotage Area
• Torres Strait
• Compulsory Pilotage in Torres Strait
• Jurisdictional Issues
  • Commonwealth-State Jurisdiction
  • Defining Jurisdictional Boundaries
  • Shipping Regulation
• Areas of Inconsistency
  • Performance Based Regulatory Framework
  • Nature of Ships Voyage
  • Environment Protection
  • Improving the Regulatory Regime For Shipping in the Great Barrier Reef
• Gaps in Legislative Powers
  • Intervention and Detention
  • Penalties and Offences
  • Restitution and Recovery of Costs

Abbreviations

Attachments

A. Terms of Reference

B. Persons and Organisations Making Submissions

C. Marine Incidents in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait 1985-2000

D. Legislative Powers of Intervention and Enforcement

E. Legislative Penalties and Offences

F. Legislative Powers Of Restitution And Recovery Of Costs

G. Legislation Governing Response to a Shipping Incident

List of Figures

2.1 Shipping Routes in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait

3.1 Pilotage Areas in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait

3.2 The Inner Route South of Cairns

3.3 Changes to Compulsory Pilotage Boarding Arrangements South of Cairns

3.4 Pilotage in the Whitsunday Islands

4.1 Diagram of Automatic Identification System Operation

4.2 Ship Reporting Points in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait

5.1 Fairway Channel

5.2 Proposed Marine Environment High Risk Areas

7.1 Jurisdictional Boundaries in the Prince of Wales Channel

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