On the evening of 29 May 2022, a commercial fishing vessel was on a voyage from Mackay to Cairns when the master noticed an auxiliary engine alarm. Upon lifting the engine room hatch, the master saw smoke and an orange glow and the engine room subsequently caught fire. The master quickly made the decision that they would not be able to fight the fire without jeopardising their safety and abandoned ship. An SMS risk assessment on appropriate crewing on a voyage greater than 12 hours duration should be undertaken in these situations.

On 21 August 2019, a landing barge (operated as a Class 1E and 2D) capsized while transiting from Great Mackerel Beach to Pittwater north of Sydney.

How to comply with low sulphur fuel requirements.

Our role in working with the offshore industry.

The inaugural Australian VTS Award saw Brisbane VTS operators Todd Stewart and Ricky Blake commended for their actions, which had a profound impact on the outcome of two men and a young boy lost at sea.

Providing 24/7 search and rescue (SAR) service for Australia.

Exercise Barossa was a biannual oil spill response exercise conducted in Adelaide under our National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and Other Noxious and Hazardous Substances.

On Monday 10 July 1995, the Iron Baron chartered bulk carrier grounded on Hebe Reef at the approach to the Tamar River, northern Tasmania at 7.30 pm EST.

This marine notice advises ship operators and owners of the hazards of transporting battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs).

On the evening of 2 April 2022, a Sydney Harbour ferry was operating a regular route between Manly and Circular Quay. A group of young males were exhibiting risk taking behaviour on the deck during adverse weather conditions. One of the group jumped, stumbled, and fell overboard without a lifejacket. The master came about and followed the ferry track back at dead slow to find the person overboard (POB). The POB had the presence of mind to use his mobile phone torch light in the dark to alert the master of his presence and was rescued.

Find out about the search and rescue incidents we attended between July 2019 and June 2020

Our regulatory program is prepared annually and contains details of planned and completed changes to our regulatory instruments.

On 19 November 2020, a class 3B fishing vessel grounded on a beach after the master and two deckhands, fell asleep. The investigation identified that there was no clear procedure for standing watch. Fatigue also contributed to the poor decisions made by the crew around who was supposed to be on watch that morning.

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.

Our search and rescue incidents from 2013–14.

We sought feedback on proposed changes to Marine Order 57 (Helicopter operations). The proposed updates will ensure the marine order remains current and gives effect to new international requirements.

From 1 July 2018, new survey requirements for domestic commercial vessels apply. This includes changes to marine order 503 to apply the new periodic survey requirements to all vessels required to be in survey—existing, transitional and new vessels.

Alerts the maritime industry to findings of two recent accident investigations conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission.