AMSA Connect phone services will be closed for the public holiday on Monday 8 June 2026, reopening on Tuesday 9 June 2026. Our search and rescue team will continue to operate during this time.
There are mandatory minimum requirements for your certificates under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978 (STCW).
In 2024, a range of vessel stability issues caused a trawler to roll over. The master had not followed the vessel’s stability book properly. The investigation also found that the stability book didn’t meet relevant standards.
Several national law general exemptions have been reissued for a period of 3 to 5 years with changes. Check if you need to reapply for your exemption, and that you still meet eligibility requirements.
For vessels in distress or in need of assistance there can be, at times, a need to find an appropriate ‘place of refuge’, where steps can be taken to stabilise or repair the vessel and prevent the situation from worsening.
The 2019-20 Australian Vessel Traffic Services Award was awarded to Warren Bath, VTS Operator at Hay Point, Queensland, for his coordination of an incident involving a bulk carrier.
In Australia, domestic commercial vessels are regulated under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 (national law act). The National Law Act underpins the National System for Domestic Commercial Vessel Safety (national system).
If you're an international operator expecting to visit an Australian port, or operating in Australian waters, you can find out what to expect from port State control in Australia.