It is mandatory under Australian law for certain vessels and fixed or floating platforms to carry a garbage management plan, display placards and maintain a garbage record book.

AMSA’s mission is ensuring safe vessel operations, combating marine pollution and rescuing people in distress.

The National Law places obligations on maritime operators and other parties to ensure safety of persons and vessels and protection of the marine environment.

All regulated Australian vessels must have a minimum safe crewing determination (MSCD). Find out how to prepare your crewing arrangement, check qualifications, and submit your application or renewal.

Find out about AMSA’s performance and stay informed about our progress against key initiatives for 2024–25.

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

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.

The 273rd meeting of the Board was held on Wednesday, 25 June 2025 in Canberra, ACT.

Australia is a part of the International Maritime Organization — maritime safety and marine pollution prevention are more effective when carried out internationally.

Following a report to AMSA, and subsequent investigation, the Pax Phoenix was fined for illegally discharging oily water into the marine environment near Holbourne Island, Queensland on 2 September 2001.

Our search and rescue modules provide background information as well as information about preparation, principles of how to conduct a search and rescue operation and how to respond to specific kinds of emergency.

We are responsible for providing navigational systems and services to facilitate the safe and efficient navigation of ships within Australian waters.

Maritime discharges of oil and noxious liquid substances during emergencies and pollution response situations.

ECDIS familiarisation ensures that master and navigating officers are familiar with the specific make and model of the ECDIS equipment onboard (including backup) before taking charge of a navigational watch.

We collect and analyse information from reported marine incidents to improve safety across the maritime industry.

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.