One of the most dangerous situations you can experience on a trawler is getting hooked-up. If you’re a trawler operator, knowing what you and your crew need to do can save lives.

This marine notice advises vessel owners, vessel operators, masters, officers, seafarer training organisations and industry organisations that AMSA does not consider electronic visual distress signals (EVDs) to be a suitable replacement for pyrotechnic distress signals.

Be prepared before your trip. Stay safe at sea.

In this edition we explain how to complete a shaft survey report, tell you about changes to MARS, changes to surveyor identity cards and much more.

We provide a search and rescue (SAR) service for Australia. This allows us to quickly deploy a SAR response for anyone in distress.

A charter vessel transiting between research sites at night collided with a stationary vessel. The stationary vessel’s master claimed to have an anchor light on, but the crew of the charter vessel stated they did not see any navigation lights. The master of the stationary vessel was preparing food on the vessel at the time and may have obstructed the anchor light view from the charter vessel’s crew. The master of the charter vessel was found to have been operating at high speed given the conditions (night operations). This also rendered the lookout ineffective.

(1)  The criteria for the issue of a check pilot licence to a person are that the person: 

Our structure gives you an idea of which area can help you when you get in touch.

Chemical dispersants are one of the response tools available during oil spill responses.

Find out who can be the designated person for a DCV and what they need to do.

An explosion occurred on a charter fishing vessel whilst berthed. The investigation identified that the ignition source was a lithium-ion battery that was not holding charge connected to a battery charger in a way that bypassed the battery management safety system. The vessel was beyond repair following the explosion.

Apply for acceptance on the oil spill control agents register.

This marine notice draws attention to important information regarding the proper operation of Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), including the importance of adequate and up to date Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs), for ships visiting Australian ports.

This marine notice draws attention to responsible navigational practices which masters and officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships operating in Australian waters should follow.

On 21 July 1991 Greek tanker Kirki lost its bow off the coast of Western Australia, resulting in a major pollution incident.

A charter vessel with passengers was conducting a cruise around Sydney Harbour when it narrowly missed an unlit runabout at night. The vessel ran aground, and two attempts to tow the vessel off the sandbank were unsuccessful. The investigation found that the master did not risk-assess the route and respective conditions. The vessel safety management system provided the master with no clear direction on safe routes to follow. The command, control, and communication with and between the crew in relation to emergency procedures and response was ineffective.

Read the latest news from AMSA.

An index to guide you through the supporting documents for the National Plan.

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.