All domestic commercial vessels are required to have a national law certificate of survey—unless an exemption applies.

A guide for domestic commercial vessels

In this edition we talk about marine surveyor accreditation renewals, a marine safety incident and a safety recall notice.

Learn the differences between general and direct supervision

We will conduct a focused inspection campaign on lifejacket risk assessment requirements on DCVs.

These guidelines aim to assist small1 DCV operations to undertake a risk assessment as part of the vessel’s safety management system.

Rules and conditions for vessels declared to not be regulated Australian vessels.

If you undertake towing operations with your vessel, there are unique risks that you must consider within your risk assessment as part of the safety management system.

Be prepared before your trip. Stay safe in the air.

This information is to draw the attention of ship owners and operators to the ongoing prohibition of asbestos on ships, noting that Australian law requires operators to take all reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of employees and contractors while at work.

In this edition we talk about audits and application assessments, compass adjustment requirements, uncrewed barges and more.

We inspect domestic commercial vessels to ensure crew, vessel, and operational safety.

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).

Risk assessments help identify why, when and where lifejackets need to be worn during vessel operations. Wearing a lifejacket can help prevent a tragic incident.

Insights from 2025 vessel inspections including detentions, common safety risks and compliance performance