Bishop, Mick 4:51
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to today's webinar. My name is Mick Bishop. I'm AMSA’s liaison officer based in Townsville, QLD on behalf of the team and AMSA, we're excited to have you here today as we dive into some of the upcoming changes to Marine Order 504 which covers safety management systems. These changes will come into effect on the 1st of June this year. It's in about six to seven weeks.
Today is the final in our series of three webinars about changes to the safety management system requirements.
And today's topic is simplified SMS.
Before I get into the housekeeping and introduction, I'd like to acknowledge country in the spirit of reconciliation, we here at AMSA would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the country throughout Australia and also acknowledge connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Here on the webinar today.
OK. With regards to housekeeping for today, please be aware, first of all, there's a 32 second delay.
Today's webinar is being recorded and you will receive a link to the recorded webinar afterwards if you'd like to turn on live captioning, please do so by clicking captions at the top or bottom of your team teams window.
During the presentation too, we'll break into some question and answer sessions, so please stick around until the end of the webinar.
You have any check if you have any questions please post them in the Q&A chat. You can choose to post questions anonymously if you wish.
Some questions may be able to be answered live as we go.
Others will need to be provided in writing by our subject experts Nathan, Nathan, David and Tobin. The team will do our best to respond to any as many questions during the webinar as possible. If we can't get to any, we will provide responses after the webinar.
Every question you ask is going to get answered. Hopefully today, if not later on.
Also give us a thumbs up if you see a question in the chat that you want answered too so we can pick out the popular questions.
We would also at the end like you to complete a short survey because we'd appreciate your feedback.
I'd like to introduce you to our regionally located liaison team. We have Steve Whitesmith in Fremantle, WA, and Desley Thompson in Cairns QLD.
Our presenter today is Steve, and I'll hand you over now to begin the presentation.
Whitesmith, Steve 7:48
Thanks, Mick, and thank you to everyone who's attending today. As you can see from the slide, there are 9 areas that we'll cover in this webinar, so let's begin.
A simplified SMS is a safety management system that reduces the mandatory requirements for smaller, less complex DCV’s and operations by:
- upholding or improving safety outcomes
- aligning better with the operational needs of owners and
- reducing administrative burden.
The changes to Marine Order 504 give owners the option of operating under a simplified SMS, which is the minimum requirement for eligible vessels or continuing to maintain a full SMS. The choice is yours to make based on what works best for you.
The key changes for eligible vessels include that:
- if the owner is also a designated person, then a designated person responsibility statement is not required
- if the owner is also the master, a master's responsibility statement is no longer required
- the risk assessment no longer needs to identify the key daily tasks performed by the master and crew
- the mandatory procedures of vessel operations have been reduced
- owners are no longer required to identify an assembly station in the emergency plan and the mandatory details in the vessel's crew list have been reduced.
We'll go through the key requirements for your simplified SMS shortly and all the material including the checklist and examples you'll see today are available on our website to assist you in developing or reviewing your SMS.
To be eligible to operate with a simplified SMS your vessel must be:
- either a class 2-3 or four vessel that is less than 7.5 metres in length
- for a Class 2 vessel, it can carry no more than 4 day passengers.
The vessel is not eligible to operate with the simplified SMS if it:
- carries dangerous goods, as cargo
- has a net reel crane lifting device or deck load, the use of which is likely to adversely impact the stability or watertight integrity of the vessel
- has an inboard engine that operates on fuel that has a flash point of less than 60°C, such as petrol
- has berthed accommodation
- is operated primarily for towage or
- is determined by AMSA to be unsuitable for a supervised SMS arrangement.
AMSA has created this handy flow chart that is available on our website and a link to this is being added to the Q&A chat.
Just prior to getting into the key elements of the simplified SMS, we would like to get an idea of how many of you think you may be eligible to operate under simplified SMS. If you could add a thumbs up to the question in the Q&A chat.
OK, we'll now go through the key elements of a simplified SMS. The first part relates to vessel and contact details.
As shown on the slide, you need to include:
- the name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the owner of the vessel
- the unique identification number for the vessel
- the kind of vessel and operation you undertake
- the areas of operation of the vessel and
- the contact details of a person who may be contacted at any time about the operation of the vessel.
This slide shows a handy checklist outlining the requirements, owners of class two and three vessels need to consider when developing their vessel and contact page.
As already mentioned, the checklists and examples you will see in today's presentation are available on AMSA’s website to assist you in the development and review of your simplified SMS.
A link has been provided in the chat and additional information will be emailed to you after the webinar.
This example could relate to a class two or three vessel, and includes additional information on designated person and master responsibility and authority statements for operations where the owner doesn't hold one or more of those responsibilities.
This slide shows a checklist for Class 4 vessels outlining the requirements owners need to consider when developing their vessel and contact details page.
As you can see, there is no requirement for a master responsibility and authority statement for the operation of a Class 4 vessel.
This slide shows the Class 4 vessel contact details as well as the designated Person Authority statement and what they could look like.
Owners must ensure a risk assessment for the operation of the vessel is prepared in consultation with the master and crew of the vessel. This isn't applicable for Class 4 vessels or where the owner is the only person involved in crewing the vessel.
The risk assessment is recorded so it is readily accessible and kept up to date and reviewed if:
- the vessel undertakes an operation that differs from what is normally undertaken or
- the vessel is involved in the marine incident or
- the master of the vessel considers at the risks have changed, again, this is not applicable for Class 4 vessels and
- required by AMSA or by a marine safety inspector.
The risk assessment must identify unacceptable risks, including those arising from operations of the vessel that jeopardise:
- the vessel
- the operational environment of the vessel or
- persons on or near the vessel.
It also needs to consider:
- the appropriate crewing and the crewing determination for the vessel (and we'll discuss crewing shortly)
- the risk of fatigue for master and crew and how this is managed and
- when a lifejacket must be worn by any person on board.
It should be noted that the risk assessment for Class 4 vessels does not need to consider appropriate crewing or the risk of master and crew fatigue.
There are, however, additional risks for Class 4, high and drive vessels, and we'll touch on these shortly.
Although not a mandatory requirement when operating under a simplified SMS, owners should consider identifying and managing risks such as vessel loading through the risk assessment process.
Vessel owners who operate without any additional crew should also consider the additional risk controls associated with solar operations, and we'll touch on this shortly.
Some examples or the potential risks that you should include a drowning fire and collision.
This slide shows a handy checklist outlining the requirements owners need to consider when developing the risk assessment for a class two or three vessel, and as mentioned earlier, we'll touch on crewing a little later in the webinar.
This slide shows an example risk assessment. It doesn't include all the risks you will need to consider, but hopefully provides a useful guide on what a risk assessment may look like.
The risk assessment doesn't need to be complex to be effective, but does need to identify how you plan to control the risks.
The type of controls will depend on a number of factors that will vary on a case by case basis. However, you should consider:
- the nature of an identified risk
- any limitations or constraints imposed by the design of the vessel, machinery or plant and
- competency of crew who interact with the identified risk.
There is no set way for developing a risk assessment under Marine Order 504 and it should be in a form that works for you and your crew. And again, please bear in mind that this is an example only.
This slide shows a checklist for hire and drive vessels, outlining the requirements owners need to consider when developing the risk assessment.
As you can see, there are additional risk assessment requirements relating to hire and drive that need to be addressed, including things like:
- boundaries of each vessel's designated cruising area
- any navigation hazards in the operating area and
- take away vessels and
- vessels where people are used for towing apparatus.
This slide shows an example risk assessment for a Class 4 human powered operation. Again, this is an example only and won't include all the risks you will need to consider when developing your own risk assessment.
Has already briefly mentioned some vessel owners work alone without any additional crew, and it's important for these owners to consider the risks of operating alone as part of their risk assessment and having appropriate controls to manage these risks.
AMSA has developed some guidance to help operators when thinking about these risks. The risk of how you re board your vessel should you go overboard is increased when operating alone. Wearing a lifejacket, having a registered personal locator beacon attached to your person and a boarding ladder may all assist.
Guidance doesn't cover all situations, but we hope it helps when you are considering the risks and controls for your operation and a link to this is now been added to the Q&A chat for your guidance.
With regard to personal locator beacons and EPIRBS, please make sure they're registered with AMSA and tested regularly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
You can also include details about your vessel, including a photograph, and this information can help in the event that you need rescuing.
A link to the beacons website page is also now being added to the chat.
I’ll now hand over to Mick and Desley to go through some of the questions in the Q&A chat.
Bishop, Mick 18:23
Thanks, Steve, and thanks to everybody who's posted questions in the Q&A chat. Please remember if we don't get to your questions during the webinar, we will afterwards. So, they're all going to get answered. So, we'll now have a look at some of the questions that have come in. The first one is, will small trawlers be excluded if they are set up to tow?
Thompson, Desley 18:47
Thanks Mick for that question. So, vessels will not be eligible for a simplified SMS if they are operated primarily for towage. So, this means that vessels that perform towage operations as their key function are not eligible if a vessel is set up for towage but does not regularly perform towage operations, they may be eligible for a simplified SMS if they meet the remaining eligibility criteria.
Bishop, Mick 19:17
Yeah. The next one is, am I eligible for a simplified SMS if I have an outboard petrol engine?
Thompson, Desley 19:24
Yep, that's another good question. So, vessels with an outboard petrol engine are eligible for a simplified SMS if they meet the other eligibility criteria. So, vessels with an inboard engine operating on petrol or another fuel that has a flash point of less than 60° are not eligible for a simplified SMS. A link of the simplified SMS eligibility criteria website page has been provided on the chat.
Bishop, Mick 19:55
And thanks for that one. The next one is I only operate a small boat, 4 1/2 metres. I'm generally just out line fishing solo. However, I do take friends and family members, not for payment, just as company for their interest in fishing. How does this relate to my SMS requirements and obligations?
Thompson, Desley 20:16
Yeah, that's another really good question. So, if your vessel has any certificates for example a certificate or survey, you will need to make sure that the certificate allows you to carry the number of people you intend to have on board. So, for example, fishing vessels cannot carry passengers. So, you will also need to consider the risk of having additional people on board.
And other requirements such as how much experience they have on vessels, how can they complete their tasks safely.
For example, what equipment they may be using.
They may also need to think about the induction onto the vessel, including what they need to do. If you become incapacitated and in any other emergency as well, and also the introduction to the drug and alcohol policy, life jacket wear policy and all other important policies and procedures. So, if you are planning to take them out recreationally, you will need to make sure that you meet the conditions outline in Exemption 4. And a link has been put in the Q&A chat as well.
Bishop, Mick 21:28
Thanks Desley. We have got time I think in this session for one more and it is VMR vessels operating under Exemption 40 are required to tow vessels in certain situations. Are they eligible for simplified SMS.
Thompson, Desley 21:44
Yeah. So, a VMR vessel that is operated primarily for towage would not be eligible for a simplified SMS and would need to meet the full requirements for an SMS outlined in Marine Order 504. However, if the VMR vessel's primary purpose is not to and only tows a vessel in certain situations, it may be eligible for a simplified SMS.
Mick, before we go on to back to the presentation as well.
I just wanted to let you know we did get a few thumbs up for those people who think they're eligible for the simplified SMS, so that's good news there.
Bishop, Mick 22:25
It's great. Thanks for that.
So keep those questions coming and the thumbs up, you know, indicate popularity of the questions. That's important too. I'll now hand back to Steve to continue with the presentation.
Whitesmith, Steve 22:41
All right. Thanks, Mick and Desley and thanks to everyone who's putting questions into the chat. So please keep them coming. So, we'll now move on to crewing. The owner of a class two or three vessel must ensure the vessel operates with appropriate crewing.
Class 4 operators do not need to consider crewing unless they operate a rescue vessel or similar that would fall under Class 2. To do your crewing risk assessment, the owner needs to consider each kind of operation the vessel does and consider the risks associated with the vessel, the environment, and any person on or near the vessel.
Factors to consider when evaluating the risks include
- the kind of operation
- the task and activities performed, in addition to the safe navigation of the vessel and the demands they impose on the master and the crew
- the risk of master and crew fatigue
- the number of persons to be carried on the vessel and the effectiveness and timeliness of arrangements for passenger monitoring, where applicable, taking into account that the master of the vessel must be able to find out the number of persons on board at any time
- the design characteristics of the vessel including its general arrangements, machinery and equipment
- the qualifications and competencies of the master and crew, including circumstances where only the master holds mandated engineering qualifications
the competency required for the use of technological aids to safety and navigation - the area of operation of the vessel and expected conditions, including the weather, climate and water temperature
- the duration of the voyage
- the requirements for the vessel's emergency preparedness, including the vessel's emergency plan and evacuation arrangements
- the maintenance requirements of the vessel and its machinery and equipment, and
- the external support available to the vessel.
The list on the previous slide may seem like a lot, however, for a less complex operations, it doesn't mean you need to have a large and complex document.
Example checklist you can see on the slide is designed to assist owners in developing and reviewing their crewing requirements.
Having considered your crewing requirements based on your risk assessment and the controls you have in place, you need to record what your appropriate crewing is and how you came to that decision. If you have crew, be sure to include details about them and their next of kin.
As you can see from the example, this doesn't need to be overly complex.
The owner of the vessel must ensure that policies and procedures relating to the safety of the vessel, the environment and persons all near the vessel are recorded so that are readily accessible.
The policies, procedures must:
- be developed for key vessel operations
- address any risks associated by the risk assessment and, if an increased risk is identified by a review of the risk assessment
- identify how changes are to be implemented to reduce or eliminate that risk. So far as reasonably practicable.
For vessels operating under simplified SMS, owners must ensure that procedures are developed for at least:
- pre operating checks
- ow you will provide a safe means of access to and from the vessel.
- he wearing of life jackets taking into account the risks identified in your risk assessment and
- the management of life jackets to ensure they are readily accessible at all times
- Drug and alcohol policy and
- for passenger carrying Class 2 vessels, giving safety instructions to each passenger about relevant operational and emergency procedures, including the wearing of life jackets as soon as practical after they board and
having an effective and verifiable means to ensure that the master is able to find out the number of persons on board at any time.
Although means of access is not a mandatory requirement for hire and drive vessels, you should also consider the risks as part of your risk assessment.
As you can see from the slide, AMSA has developed guidance on policies and procedures to assist you in creating or reviewing your SMS.
When conducting crew training, please ensure you keep a record of that training for a period of five years.
This example procedure for Class 2 or 3 vessel can be used to assist in developing your own.
The example shown looks at some of the new requirements including fatigue, drug and alcohol policy, and vessel access.
It is also important that you include procedures applicable to your specific type of operation.
In this checklist for hire and drive vessels, you'll notice we've included lifejackets based on the mandatory requirements that may be applicable in your state or territory.
It would also be expected that the wearing of lifejackets or making sure they are readily available to hires and participants during an emergency would be a reasonably foreseeable risk.
This slide shows some example policies and procedures for Class 4 vessels. As with the other examples, it doesn't cover all the policies and procedures you may need to include and may not be suitable for your specific operation.
When considering what policies and procedures to include, hire and drive operators must also:
- assess the special skills, abilities and level of medical fitness required by the hirer and any participant and
- determine the maximum number, minimum competency, minimum age and minimum medical requirements of hiring participants, taking into account:
- the minimum number of persons required to safely operate the vessel.
the amount of space available for persons on board - the kind of safety equipment on board
the load and instability limitations - the area in which the vessel operates, and
- the operational risks.
- the minimum number of persons required to safely operate the vessel.
This slide shows the participant assessment checklist that may assist with developing your own policies and procedures.
This slide shows an example of participant assessment policy for a Class 4 canoe hire business.
As with the other examples, this may not be suitable for your type of operation.
Now hand it over to Mick and Desley to go through some more questions in the Q&A chat.
Bishop, Mick 29:44
Thanks, Steve, and thanks to everybody who's posted questions in the Q&A chat. We'll now answer some more of your questions.
The first one here is if my vessel has berthed accommodation, but I never use it, can I use a simplified SMS?
Thompson, Desley 30:02
OK. So, any vessel that has berthed accommodation, whether used or not, cannot operate with a simplified SMS. Vessels in this situation will need to meet the full requirements for an SMS as outlined in Marine Order 504.
Bishop, Mick 30:19
Thanks Desley. The next one is do I need to create a new SMS or can I continue to use my SMS app?
Thompson, Desley 30:28
Good question. So, a simplified SMS can be paper-based or app based. Marine Order 504 requires the SMS to be kept on board when practical and also available onshore. This can be in a digital form or paper form. However, the SMS must always be accessible to the master crew and anyone using it.
So if stored electronically, it must be available at all times, including for AMSA or marine safety inspectors when requested.
So, if your SMS is on a mobile device and can't be accessed due to connectivity issues, this does not meet Marina Order 504 requirements.
Bishop, Mick 31:21
Yeah. Thanks, Desley. The next one is the examples you're showing look very simple. Can my SMS look like this?
Thompson, Desley 31:28
Yes. So, your SMS can be as simple or complex as you like. If it captures all the mandatory requirements as well as any additional information you need to include having done your risk assessment. This would include developing procedures ( e.g. lifejacket wearing, fatigue, drug and alcohol etc), training for crew, (inductions, emergency preparedness and refreshers) and also emergency procedures (fire, master incapacitated and loss of steering etc)
Bishop, Mick 32:06
Thanks for that. The next one is about EPIRBS. And the question is, how often should I test my EPIRB?
Thompson, Desley 32:13
Oh, thanks. So, you need to follow the manufacturer's guideline on how to perform a self-test and how often. So, some manufacturers recommend that you self-test the beacon periodically. So, either once a month or prior to a planned trip. But remember it's also import important that you don't over test as this can drain the battery.
Bishop, Mick 32:38
I’ll now hand back to Steve to continue in the presentation.
Whitesmith, Steve 32:46
Thanks Mick and Desley and thanks again to everyone putting questions in the chat. Please keep them coming. There'll be another opportunity at the end of the presentation to go through some more of those.
Vessel owners are required to update their emergency plan to include procedures for loss of propulsion and oil or fuel spills. The procedures must outline how you will respond in an emergency situation.
These requirements do not apply if a particular emergency procedure is not relevant to your operation. For example, we wouldn't expect you to have a procedure for oil and fuel spills for the operation of canoes. If, however, a hire and drive business has a rescue boat with an outboard motor, then a procedure for oil and fuel spills would be required for that part of the business.
The checklist provided for Class 2 and 3 vessels includes the new requirements for loss of propulsion and oil and fuel spills.
As you can see from the slide, there are some additional requirements for Class 2 vessels that carry passengers where the master is the only crew member on board.
This includes displaying a laminated copy of the emergency safety procedures on board where it is practical to do so.
Additionally, Class 2 and 3 vessel owners must have a system for use in an emergency for the crew to record and confirm the presence of all persons on board.
Here's an example of an emergency plan that includes loss of propulsion and oil or fuel spills. It should be noted that this example is not complete and would require additional information such as the role of each crew member for each emergency, as well as including procedures for personal injury, other medical emergencies and adverse weather or water conditions.
There may be other emergencies identified through your risk assessment that are applicable to your operation that would also need to be added.
This checklist is to assist, hire and drive operators and as you can see there are also requirements to include a prominently displayed copy of the of the laminated emergency procedures on board where it is practical to do so. It may not for example, be considered practical on a canoe or a personal watercraft.
In this hire and drive emergency plan example, oil and fuel spills has been left out as it relates to a canoe hire business. Again, it should be noted that this example is not complete and would require additional information as required under Marine Order 504 or identified through your risk assessment.
Vessel owners must ensure that a system is developed for regular programmed inspections and maintenance appropriate for the vessel, its machinery and its equipment, and that this system is implemented and maintained.
The system must include arrangements for recording details of each inspection and each correcting each deficiency identified during an inspection.
Each inspection must be conducted by the owner of the vessel or a person who has sufficient experience and knowledge to conduct the inspection on behalf of the owner.
The vessel must be serviced, taking into account the manufacturer's specifications and requirements.
As you can see from this slide, AMSA has also developed an example maintenance checklist to assist you in meeting these requirements. This particular checklist is for use by Class 2 or 3 vessels.
The maintenance schedule doesn't need to be complex but must be sufficient to ensure it covers all your maintenance requirements.
We've also included an example of what a record of inspection may look like. This example uses the vessel logbook.
Important to remember that logbook records must be kept for five years.
This checklist is to assist Class 4 owners in ensuring they meet the requirements for maintenance.
This example looks at a canoe hire business, and the record of inspection is maintained in an exercise book.
During 2023, AMSA developed this maintenance checklist for small vessels. There is also an example maintenance log and vessel certification record. A link to this is now being added to the QA chat.
However you plan to manage your maintenance, please ensure it covers all the key elements of your vessel and equipment and is kept up to date.
We would like to get an idea of how many of you are considering changing from a full SMS to a simplified SMS.
If you could add a thumbs up to the question in the QA chat and if you haven't yet decided, we hope that today's presentation and our website information gives you sufficient information to make an informed decision.
The owner of a Class 4 vessel must ensure that:
- a briefing including the matters identified by the risk assessment for the operation is given to each hiring participant before the person takes control of the vessel and
- if a higher or participant is not present during the briefing, that a hirer or participant who was present agrees to brief all the others who may operate the vessel about the matters discussed and demonstrated.
The owner of the vessel must ensure that:
- each tour leader guide and briefer is competent to perform their duties
- if the vessel operates in a state or territory that has a recreational boating licencing requirement that each tour guide, leader or briefer meets the requirements and
- each tour leader has a current first aid certificate equivalent to at least Provide first aid.
As can be seen from the slide, the requirements for hirer briefings have been included in the checklist.
This example hire safety briefing has been developed for a canoe hire business.
As with the other checklists and example shown today, this may not be applicable to your operation, but we hope you find them a useful guide.
The owner of the vessel must ensure that their safety management system is reviewed.
The risk assessment needs to be reviewed:
- when you plan to undertake a different operation from what you normally do
following any marine incident and - if the master considers the risks of changed, this does not apply to Class 4 vessels.
The emergency plan and procedures need to be reviewed
- if an increased risk is identified following review of the risk assessment and
- every 12 months.
Please be sure to keep a written record of when you do this.
As mentioned at the beginning of today's webinar, AMSA has a number of handy resources available on our website that you may find useful and some links have been added to the QA chat.
You can also find these resources and others by adding keywords in the search function at the top of the AMSA home page.
Will also ensure links are included with the uploaded copy of this presentation and provided to webinar participants.
Today's webinar and Q&A will be added to the past webinars page on the AMSA website.
Please feel free to refer to these resources and to pass the links on to your crews, colleagues and friends involved in the domestic commercial vessel industry.
These links have also been added to the Q&A chat.
If you'd like to keep up to date with what's happening regarding domestic commercial vessels and how any changes may affect your operation, please subscribe to AMSA’s newsletters and a link has also been added to the chat for this page.
We’re coming to the end of the webinar, but prior to finishing up, we'd like to remind you to complete the short survey to ensure our webinars meet your needs.
I'll pass over once more to Mick and Desley to go through some more questions in the Q&A chat.
Bishop, Mick 42:37
Thanks, Steve. And a final thanks to everybody today for contributing to the webinar by asking questions. It's been really good. We've got time to run through a few more. So, we'll get into them. The next one is we only carry special personnel under Exemption 2 for training. The vessel capacity is 6 special personnel and one master. Does this mean we carry zero day passengers and would therefore be eligible to use a simplified SMS?
Thompson, Desley 43:06
Thanks for the question there, Mick. Thanks. So, for the purposes of the simplified SMS eligibility criteria, a day passenger is defined as a passenger who is not provided with sleeping accommodation. So based on the circumstance you have described, you would carry zero day passengers and be eligible for a for a simplified SMS if you meet the remaining eligibility criteria. A link to the eligibility criteria, has been added to the chat.
Bishop, Mick 43:40
The next one is are the previous webinar recordings available?
Thompson, Desley 43:46
That's great question from William. Thank you for that. So the previous webinar recordings and also the previous Q&A responses are available on the AMSA website. A link has been provided in the chat.
Bishop, Mick 44:02
Right. And along a similar line, will these slides be available?
Thompson, Desley 44:06
Yeah, that question comes from Andrew. So, thanks for that, Andrew. Yes, an email with a copy of the presentation slides will be sent to attendees after the webinar.
Bishop, Mick 44:18
Thank you. The next one says we are operating in a 3C classification. The boat is under Grandfather Clause which is an existing vessel. The vessel though has a net reel is a net reel boat. Are we eligible for simplified SMS?
Thompson, Desley 44:35
Thanks for the question. If the vessel has a net reel installed on the vessel, the use of which is likely to adversely impact the stability. The vessel would not be eligible for a simplified SMS.
Bishop, Mick 44:52
Thanks. The next one is when you state that the master of a vessel being the owner of the vessel is the master of a commercial vessel, need to hold a master qualification or can a Coxswain be considered the master of the vessel?
Thompson, Desley 45:07
OK, this question has come from Matthew. Thank you for that question, Matthew. So, if the vessel is less than 12 metres in length, the master may hold a coxswain's qualification. However, they must only perform the duties and functions that the certificate of competency allows the holder to perform.
Bishop, Mick 45:29
OK, the next one is what are the key differences between a simplified SMS and a full SMS in point form?
Thompson, Desley 45:40
So thanks for that question. The key differences for eligible vessels include:
- if the owner is also the designated person, a designated person responsibility statement is no longer required in the vessel’s SMS
- If the owner is also the master, a master’s responsibility and authority statement is no longer required in the vessel’s SMS
- the risk assessment no longer needs to identify the key daily tasks performed by the master and crew
- the mandatory procedures for vessel operations have been reduced
- owners are no longer required to identify an assembly station in the emergency plan
- the mandatory details in the vessel’s crew list have been reduced.
Bishop, Mick 46:17
Thanks. The next one is if the owner of a small boat is a business, should the name be the business or the employee who is operating?
Thompson, Desley 46:28
The owner listed in the SMS should be the name of the business. Where an employee operates the vessel, they should be referred to separately. If they are a regular employee, they could be named in the SMS or the SMS could just reference employees and their employment arrangements.
Bishop, Mick 47:11
Thanks, Desley.
I'm just seeing if there's any others here.
Is a half cabin classed as a berthed vessel? if it has 2 bunks?
Thompson, Desley 47:29
So any vessel that has any type of berth accommodation, including a half cabin, whether it's used or not, cannot operate with a simplified SMS. So, vessels in this situation will need to meet the full requirements of an SMS as outlined in Marine Order 504.
Bishop, Mick 47:48
I think that's all we've got time for today, the questions. But as we said, we will be getting back to people. So, every question will be answered.
We'd like to thank everybody for attending the webinar.
To help us make sure that the future webinars are valuable use of your time, we would appreciate your feedback. As Steve said earlier. So please click on the link in the chat to conduct a short survey won't take you very long and remember if we didn't answer your question we will get back to you later.
That's very important to us. No question will go unanswered. So again, thank you all for your attendance today and best wishes to all of you for a successful and safe operations out there on the water.
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