From 1 June 2025, all domestic commercial vessel (DCV) operators, including hire and drive operators (Class 4), must have a drug and alcohol policy as part of their safety management system (SMS).
This exemption is for owners of certain kinds of unpowered barges where it may not be practical to comply with specified construction and equipment requirements.
When Port Hedland VTS received notification of four people clinging to a vessel in the anchorage zone, they wasted no time co-ordinating local assets to effect a rescue worthy of a nomination for the Australian VTS Award.
Safety of Navigation – 1 August - 8 September 2021 AMSA conducted a Safety of Navigation Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) over the period 1 August to the 8 September 2021.
Find out how domestic commercial vessels (DCVs) performed on safety, crew training, incident reporting and more during our focussed inspections campaign on towage operations.
A 2C rescue vessel was preparing to depart a river entrance bar with 11 people onboard. The observed sea state was a wave height (breaking) of 1.4 to 1.8 metres. The entrance bar had a moderate to high level of congestion of jet skis and surfboard riders positioned within the aids to navigation departure leads.
The vessel came within very close proximity to surfers on 3 occasions whilst negotiating the breaking sea conditions. The vessel then broached upon a wave resulting in the vessel heeling to port and becoming unable to be controlled due to the force of the wave.
This is advice for ship owners and masters. We will undertake a focused inspection campaign (FIC) on cargo securing arrangements from 1 August to 31 October 2020. This is in response to recent events where containers have been lost into the sea off the Australian Coast.