Master distraction leads to vessel grounding during sea trials

How to calculate your sea service before you apply for a sea service assessment.

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.

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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.

The North-East Shipping Management Plan identifies actions based on information about the nature of shipping activity in the north-east region as well as the experience and knowledge of members of the North-East Water Space Management Working Group.

Find out how you obtain your unique vessel identifier and how to display it correctly.

A garbage management plan is an effective way to reduce garbage generated on board and ensure its effective disposal, to protect our marine environment. Under Australian maritime legislation it is mandatory for certain vessels to carry a garbage management plan.

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.

On 6 November 2021, while enroute, a passenger charter (Class 1E) vessel’s inadequately secured swim platform gate opened when a passenger and toddler leant against it causing the two passengers to fall into the water. The investigation identified that there was no locking bolt on the gate, no risk assessments and no passenger verification procedures in place. 

The automatic identification system (AIS) works automatically and continuously, regardless of where a vessel is located.

We are the Australian Government agency responsible for implementing the 1 January 2020 low sulphur fuel regulation as set out in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).