During a private charter a passenger fell down a stairwell and sustained serious injuries. The area around the top of the stairwell had a recess that reduced the floor area slightly and could be missed during movements. The stairs themselves were not found to be contributory to this incident. However, the spiral design proved problematic for providing post-incident medical assistance for the passenger. Any area that may present a safety risk to passengers onboard a vessel should be risk assessed, with appropriate control measures put in place to ensure passenger safety.

About the feedback we received on the National System for Domestic Commercial Vessel Safety transition.

This program of regulatory activities was completed during the 2017–2018 financial year.

A 7.5m punt (flat bottomed vessel) used for aquaculture operations contacted a marina at speed, injuring 4 people onboard.

A crew member’s arm was crushed between the vessel and a pylon while tending to mooring lines.

A fire occurred on a passenger vessel in a busy harbour. The master and crew took immediate action and followed emergency procedures to disembark and transfer 73 passengers safely to another ferry. The vessel’s structural and fixed firefighting systems worked effectively to contain and extinguish the fire.

Look out for marine fauna and report any collisions.

This figure describes Modern Slavery Risks

All ships must follow the requirements of MARPOL Annex V when discharging cargo residue.

Watch the video of Mark Jacobs who has hung up his snorkel and fins to help save lives across 10 per cent of the Earth’s surface.

The Australian states and territories work with us to coordinate an effective search and rescue (SAR) service.

Passenger sustains injury from poorly rigged gangway.

Disconnection of LPG system the source of explosion on a houseboat

A powered barge with a mounted crane became unstable and capsized in 3.5 metres of water during lifting operations of a concrete structure.

A passenger ferry was returning from its scheduled service when an unanticipated wave raised its stern and caused its bow to dive under the water. Water rushed over the bow and a significant amount came through the forward portside access door and into the passenger compartment. The master immediately reduced speed, which expelled most of the water overboard. The forward portside access door had been left open by a crew member who was attempting to alleviate sea sickness among some passengers. The action of leaving the door open during the voyage was contrary to the vessel’s survey requirements. Signage requiring the door to be kept closed when underway was reportedly not seen by crew members. This resulted in water entering the vessel creating a potentially unsafe situation.

Dispersants can be effective response tools. Use of dispersants is dependent on many factors including timing, properties of the oil, and logistics.

Learn the differences between general and direct supervision

A Class 1 passenger vessel’s port engine caught fire whilst northeast of Fraser Island with 82 passengers and crew onboard. The investigation found that regular planned engine maintenance, in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications, was not in place at the time of the incident. The crew’s response to the incident was immediate and effective. The transfer of the 77 passengers to a nearby vessel, which attended the distress call within 10 minutes, was undertaken quickly and effectively by the master and crew.

On 19 November 2020, a class 3B fishing vessel grounded on a beach after the master and two deckhands, fell asleep. The investigation identified that there was no clear procedure for standing watch. Fatigue also contributed to the poor decisions made by the crew around who was supposed to be on watch that morning.