Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)



Vessels & operators

Vessels in Australia being used for any commercial, government or research activity must be compliant with Australian standards and regulations.

As the national regulator, we are responsible for the safety of domestic commercial vessels and making sure your obligations as an owner or operator are clear and easy for you to meet.

Find out what you need to do to keep your vessel compliant. Consider registering your vessel, work out if and when you need to have your vessel inspected, and make sure you know how to operate your vessel in a marine environment.

In this section

  • There are regulations and standards you must follow when handling and transporting certain cargoes…
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  • When operating in the marine environment, there are compliance requirements you must meet. These…
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  • An administration offering ship registration—as Australia does—is referred to as a flag State. As a…
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  • All vessels involved in a marine incident in Australian waters need to make a report. If you have…
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  • The National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) provides standards for vessel design,…
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  • While in an Australian port, your ship may be subject to inspection. If your ship is found to have…
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  • In Australia, the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) is implemented primarily through the…
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  • Register or transfer ownership of a vessel. Search the international and general register for a…
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