Consultation—Marine order 21—Safety and emergency arrangements

The consultation is open until Tuesday 15 October 2019.  

Marine order 21 provides information about:

• safety of navigation
• emergency procedures and
• atmosphere sampling and measuring.

Key changes

The proposed new Marine order 21 (Safety and emergency arrangements) will amend the existing marine order to introduce a new regulation about damage control drills for passenger ships, and is included within the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

The key changes for this amendment are:

• The purpose section of Marine Order 21 will be amended to capture the new SOLAS regulation Chapter II-1/19-1.
• Including damage control duties in section 23(2)(a).
• New procedures for the 'Damage control drill for passenger ships' added in Schedule 1.
• A consequential amendment to Marine Order 12.

The damage control drills for passenger vessels include:

• any seafarer with damage control duties must report to the seafarer’s muster station and prepare for duties in the muster list
• any bilge pump must be operated and its alarm and automatic starting system checked
• any communication link to shore based support must be tested
• stability assessments must be conducted for the simulated damage conditions by using:
  • damage control information and
  • an on board damage stability computer if fitted and
  • the activated link at least once a year if the vessel has a communication link to shore-based support.

Commencement

It is proposed that this amended order will come into effect on 1 January 2020.

Consultation papers

• Read the draft Marine order 21 (PDF 210 KB)
• Read the summary of the changes for Marine order 21 (PDF 265 KB)
• Marine order 12 consequential change (PDF 480 KB)

How to have your say

Online

Form

Have your say in writing using our public comment form. If using this form, then you can either:

• email the form to consultation@amsa.gov.au
• post the form to:

Business Support, Standards

Australian Maritime Safety Authority
GPO Box 2181
Canberra ACT 2601