Regulatory requirements for certificates of competency, sometimes referred to as ‘tickets’, apply to thousands of Australians working across the domestic commercial vessel (DCV) industry.

On 3 August 1999 the Laura D’Amato, a 96,121 DWT Italian registered oil tanker, was berthed alongside at the Shell Gore Bay terminal in Sydney discharging its cargo of Murban light crude oil.

Use an Australian seafarers service book (ASSB) to keep a record of your sea service on an Australian or international vessel in international waters.

How to use your domestic New Zealand certificate of competency to work on domestic commercial vessels in Australia.

There are a range of chemical tools which can reduce the harmful effects of an oil spill.

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.

Read about the results of consultation on proposed amendments to Marine Orders 15 and MO49 to introduce restrictions on the use of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid in firefighting foams.

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.

AMSA occasionally seeks help and support from private companies to deliver its Search and Rescue (SAR) services.

A 7.5m punt (flat bottomed vessel) used for aquaculture operations contacted a marina at speed, injuring 4 people onboard.

There are laws against ship sourced pollution and those responsible may be prosecuted under state or territory legislation.

Guidance on the installation, testing and correct operation of oil filtering equipment (oily water separators) to support compliance with resolution MEPC.107(49) under MARPOL Annex I Regulation 14.

The Australian states and territories work with us to coordinate an effective search and rescue (SAR) service.

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.

On 16 March 2022, a class 2B landing barge collided with a starboard channel marker. The investigation identified that the previous swing engineer did not inform the incoming engineer that the port main engine cooling water suction valve was shut. After getting underway, the engine began to overheat. This distracted the master from monitoring the vessel’s intended track. The vessel’s safety management system did not have an appropriate engineering handover procedure.

We're running a nation-wide inspection campaign focusing on hazardous gases on domestic commercial vessels from 2 February - 30 April 2026. Find out what to expect and how to prepare.

A passenger ferry was returning from its scheduled service when an unanticipated wave raised its stern and caused its bow to dive under the water. Water rushed over the bow and a significant amount came through the forward portside access door and into the passenger compartment. The master immediately reduced speed, which expelled most of the water overboard. The forward portside access door had been left open by a crew member who was attempting to alleviate sea sickness among some passengers. The action of leaving the door open during the voyage was contrary to the vessel’s survey requirements. Signage requiring the door to be kept closed when underway was reportedly not seen by crew members. This resulted in water entering the vessel creating a potentially unsafe situation.

A unique identifier—also sometimes called a unique vessel identifier—is like a number plate for your vessel.