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Survey standards for domestic commercial vessels in-survey

All domestic commercial vessels under the national law are required to meet design, construction, stability and equipment standards.

A certificate of survey is evidence that a vessel has been surveyed and meets specified standards for design, construction, stability and safety equipment that apply to the vessel.

These standards are set out in Marine Order 503 (Certificate of Survey – national law) 2018. For some kinds of vessels, these requirements are modified by our general exemptions.

Access the My Boat system for guidance on how to keep your vessel compliant.

If your vessel is required to have a certificate of survey, the standards that apply to it depend on which of the categories below the vessel belongs to.

All vessels must be surveyed according to the schedule laid out in marine order 503.

Some vessels are required to have a load line certificate issued under marine order 507. These vessels will need to comply with the load lines convention or section 7 of the Uniform Shipping Laws Code.

A new survey regime applies from 1 July 2018.

Summary of standards for existing vessels, new vessels, and transitional vessels

Standards

Existing vessel

New vessel

Transitional vessel

Construction, subdivision, stability, fire safety, and machinery and associated systems

Existing vessels surveyed before 1 July 2013—the standards that applied to the vessel when it was last surveyed

 

Existing vessels not surveyed before 1 July 2013—the standards that applied to the vessel when design was approved

 

New vessels that are Class 1, 2 or 3—NSCV Part C1, Part C3, Part C4, Part C5, and Part C6. Plus the following Sections of the USL Code:

  • USL Code Section 5, subsection C, clauses C.42 to C.47, C.49 to C.53, C.54.2, C.55 to C.57, C.61.1, C.61.2a, C.61.3, C.61.3a, C.61.4, C.61.5, C.67, C.68, C.69.1 to C.69.6 and C.70 to C.73
  • USL Code Section 5, subsection D, clauses D.9 to D.15 and D.18 to D.36; and
  • USL Code Section 7

New vessels that are Class 4—NSCV Part F2

New vessels that are Fast Craft—NSCV Part F1

Transitional vessels that are Class 1, 2 or 3—the standards Table 1 in schedule 2 of marine order 503

Transitional vessels that are Class 4—NSCV Part F2

Transitional Vessels that are Fast Craft—standards in Table 1 of schedule 2 of marine order 503

Alternately, these vessels can apply the standards that would apply if the vessel was a ‘new vessel’

 

Equipment standards

 

 

The standards that applied to the vessel on 30 June 2013

New vessels that are Class 1, 2 or 3—NSCV Part C7B to C7D

New vessels that are Class 4—NSCV Part F2

New vessels that are Fast Craft—NSCV Part F1

Transitional vessels that are Class 1, 2 and 3—NSCV Part C7B, C7C C7D

Transitional vessels that are Class 4—NSCV Part F2

Transitional Vessels that are Fast Craft—NSCV Part F1

Alternately, these vessels can apply the standards that would apply if the vessel was a ‘new vessel’

Safety equipment standards

Existing vessels that are Class 1, 2 or 3—the transitional safety equipment requirements in Annex I of NSCV Part C7A

Existing vessels that are Class 4—the transitional safety equipment requirements in Part F2

Existing vessels that are Fast Craft—the transitional safety equipment requirements in Part F1

New vessels that are Class 1, 2 and 3—NSCV Part C7A

New vessels that are Class 4—NSCV Part F2

New vessels that are Fast Craft—NSCV Part F1

Transitional vessels that are Class 1, 2 and 3—NSCV Part C7A (other than Annex I)

Transitional vessels that are Cass 4—NSCV Part F2

Transitional vessels that are Fast Craft—NSCV Part F1

Alternately, these vessels can apply the standards that would apply if the vessel was a ‘new vessel’

Survey regime

Marine order 503

Related forms

Related information

Note: this page was previously published as guidance notice AMSA 729

Last updated: 

Wednesday 13 January 2021