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Vessel classes and service categories

Your compliance requirements will be affected by the service category of your vessel.

Use the following table to work out your vessel service category. For example, a passenger vessel carrying 30 people and operating out to 15 nautical miles has a service category of 1C.

Vessel use

Indicated by

Passenger vessel (13 or more passengers)

1

Non-passenger vessel (up to 12 passengers)

2

Fishing vessel

3

Hire and drive vessel used by the hirer only for recreational purposes

4

 

Operational area

Indicated by

Unlimited domestic operations (no longer available to domestic commercial vessels). Vessels operating in A waters must be Australian regulated vessels under the Navigation Act 2012.

A

Extended offshore operations (beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline of the Australian mainland, Tasmania, a recognised island but within the exclusive economic zone)

B Extended

Offshore operations (within 200 nautical miles from the baseline of the Australian mainland, Tasmania, a recognised island but within the exclusive economic zone)

B

Restricted offshore operations (within 30 nautical miles from the baseline of the Australian mainland, Tasmania, a recognised island; within 50 nautical miles of the baseline of Queensland, within the Great Barrier Reef Region or the Torres Strait Zone; whilst remaining within the exclusive economic zone)

C

Restricted offshore operations—specified areas

C Restricted

Partially smooth water operations

D

Smooth water operations

E

Sheltered waters boundaries

For information on sheltered waters boundaries (D or E operational areas) in any state or territory, contact your local marine safety agency.

Last updated: 

Wednesday 8 July 2020