Our regulatory program is prepared annually and contains details of planned and completed changes to our regulatory instruments.
Publishing a regulatory program makes it easier for business and the community to take part in the development of our regulatory instruments, such as marine orders and the National Standard for Commercial Vessels.
The regulatory program contains information on consultation on legislative or other action planned during the current financial year that could lead to changes in our regulatory instruments.
We publish an annual regulatory program each financial year.
While AMSA works hard to deliver the program as published, there may be unforeseen delays to consultation or implementation for amended instruments, including from consultation feedback, resourcing constraints or other work priorities.There may also be some regulatory activities that we are unable to forecast at the time the program is published. As such, proposed instruments in the regulatory program 2023-24 should be considered indicative only. In all cases, however, significant regulatory changes will involve consultation with affected parties and will be recorded in future regulatory programs.
Please direct any queries about our regulatory program to maritimesafetysystems@amsa.gov.au.
Regulatory Program 2023–24
The regulatory program shows the regulatory changes that will be progressed during the financial year.
| Project | Description of Action | |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Orders – made under the Navigation Act | ||
| Marine Order 11 (Living and working conditions on vessels) 2015 | AMSA is undertaking a review to give effect to the 2022 amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention which comes into force in December 2024. | |
| Marine Order 12 (Construction – subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations) 2016 | AMSA is undertaking a full review to give effect to amendments to SOLAS which enter into force on 1 January 2024. | |
| Marine Order 27 (Safety of Navigation and Radio Equipment) 2016 | AMSA is undertaking a full review to give effect to amendments to SOLAS Chapter IV which enter into force on 1 January 2024. | |
| Marine Order 47 (Offshore industry units) 2019 | AMSA is undertaking a full review to capture the new Dive Code which enters into force voluntarily on 1 January 2024. | |
| Marine Order 54 (Coastal pilotage) 2014 | AMSA is conducting a review to address operational issues with licensing of pilot and pilotage providers, consideration for Continuous Professional Development in pilot licence renewal requirements, and the criteria for pilot licence renewal. | |
| Marine Order 55 (New Marine Order – Industrial personnel) | AMSA to create a new Marine Order to capture the new SOLAS Chapter XV and the new mandatory International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP) Code, which enters into force on 1 July 2024. | |
| Marine Order 71 (Masters and deck officers) 2014 | AMSA is undertaking a full review. Amendments will clarify the transition arrangements for certificates. The Order will also be reissued under the Navigation Act 2012. | |
| Marine Orders – made under the Protection of the Sea (POTS) Act | ||
| Nil | ||
| Marine Orders – made under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act | ||
| Marine Order 501 (Administration – National Law) 2013 | Sunsetting review to update and remake the order under the National Law Act. | |
| Marine Order 504 (Certificates of operation and operation requirements – National Law) 2023 | Amendments to improve and streamline safety management system requirements to ensure that safety management systems operate as intended. | |
| National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) | ||
| Part C1 - Design and construction - Arrangement, accommodation and personal safety | AMSA is undertaking a full review to address technical issues and Coronial recommendations on escape lighting and signage. | |
| Part C7A - Design and construction - safety equipment | AMSA is conducting a full review of NSCV Part C7A to address operational issues identified by industry, including with the carriage of safety equipment for vessels less than 12m in length operating close to land. | |
| Part G - Non-survey vessels | AMSA is conducting a review to address issues with the carriage of certain items of safety equipment on small vessels and vessels operating close to shore. | |
| Omnibus amendments instrument #2 | AMSA is undertaking a review to address various identified critical issues across multiple NSCVs, including compatibility with the implementation of emerging technologies. | |
- Completed Program 2022–23
The completed program shows the regulatory changes that have been completed during 2022/23.
Project Description of Action Date of Effect Marine Orders – made under the Navigation Act Marine Order 52 (Yachts and training vessels) 2022 AMSA undertook a review to give effect to the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code, which supersedes the United Kingdom’s Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY3 Code). 1 January 2023 Marine Order 64 (Vessel traffic services) 2022 AMSA undertook a full review. Amendments implemented revised International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines for Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), which include a suite of standards relating to VTS that form part of a framework to harmonise VTS operations worldwide. 1 July 2022 Marine Orders – made under the Protection of the Sea (POTS) Act Marine Order 97 (Marine pollution prevention – air) 2022 AMSA undertook a full review to give effect to requirements of MARPOL Annex VI following IMO Resolution to introduce the new short-term GHG measure for ships on international voyages which enters into effect on 1 January 2023. 1 January 2023 Marine Order 98 (Marine pollution – anti-fouling systems) 2023 AMSA undertook a full review to give effect to amendments to the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001 (AFS Convention). 1 March 2023 Marine Orders – made under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act Marine Order 504 (Certificates of operation and operational requirements & lifejackets wear) 2023 AMSA undertook a review to better align Marine Order 504 with the recently revised Marine Order 505 (Certificates of competency), and to clarify and strengthen key concepts relating to operational safety. This includes a requirement for lifejacket wear to be addressed in the vessel’s risk assessment and a written procedure in the safety management system. 1 August 2023 Marine Order 505 (Certificates of competency - national law) 2022 AMSA undertook a full review of Marine Order 505 to revise and streamline the structure of the near coastal qualifications’ framework, including combining the requirements of the National Standard for Commercial Vessels Part D and 12 of the exemptions into a new updated version of Marine Order 505. 1 January 2023 National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) NSCV Part C2 (Watertight and weathertight integrity) AMSA undertook a full review of the standards for watertight and weathertight integrity and developed a new standard NSCV Part C2. The new standard updates the requirements for watertight and weathertight integrity to reflect current technologies and to align with current international standards and best practice. 1 January 2023 NSCV Part D As part of MO505 (Certificates of competency - national law) review NSCV Part D was revoked. 1 January 2023
Last updated: 16 February 2024