The new office will bring much needed access to AMSA's services in the northern New South Wales region.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the Coffs Harbour office will serve as a suitable location for the commercial vessel industry in the region.
'It makes perfect sense for our national maritime safety agency to expand its footprint into regional areas such as Coffs Harbour, bringing increased access to services and improving the local economy.
Regional centres are a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family and I'd like to see more people moving out of the capital cities and explore what communities such as those here on the mid-north Coast have to offer.'
Currently there are seven people working in Coffs Harbour and about 20 more AMSA officers to start in the next few months. Ultimately there will be up to 50 staff at the Coffs Harbour regional headquarters with a mix of customer service, maritime specialists and other AMSA functions represented.
Until now commercial vessel operators and seafarers from the North Coast would have to travel to our office in Newcastle to get face to face support from AMSA.
The opening of our new Regional headquarters in Coffs changes that and I encourage or North Coast maritime friends to drop in to speak to one of our customer service officers if you need help with your operation.
The new Coffs Harbour office is part of the AMSA's long-term goal to have 50 per cent of our workforce based outside of Canberra by 2022.