AMSA represents Australia in international maritime safety discussions

Friday 16 June 2023

New technology in the maritime sector was a focus of recent international discussions.

Australian delegation-Maritime Safety Committee

AMSA staff pictured from left-to-right: Ricky Withers, Senior Advisor Navigation Safety & Digitisation, Greg Pusey, Manager Maritime Safety Systems and Simon Moore, Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO

Maritime safety discussions were held at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently, helping progress measures to meet the challenges presented by increased use of new technologies in the maritime sector.

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) is the highest technical committee at the IMO, responsible for all matters related to maritime safety and maritime security. The committee has a mandate covering all kinds of ships including passenger ships and cargo ships.

Greg Pusey, AMSA's Manager Maritime Safety Systems and Australia's Head of Delegation, said the maritime industry is undergoing a significant transformation with increased use of cyber-connected systems, autonomous vessels, alternative fuels, digitization and data sharing practices to improve commercial vessel safety. "We were pleased to see measures addressed at this session including progress on the development of the non-mandatory goal-based instrument for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships," he said.

The committee also agreed to undertake a comprehensive review of maritime cyber risk management guidelines, develop a Safety Regulatory Framework to support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships using new technologies and alternative fuels, and to include in the IMO's regulatory framework new measures to prevent the loss of containers at sea.

MSC also adopted amendments to the international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers, and the Safety of Life at Sea Convention and codes that will apply new regulations to ships in the coming years.

Learn more about our commitment to supporting the International Marine Organisation (IMO).

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