Part 5—Registration costs and charges*

The cost of registering on the AISR is divided into fixed and recurring charges. The registration process includes one off costs for each service provided while there is a quarterly levy to cover the regulatory function costs of the associated flag State administration, including flag State inspections.

5.1 Registration costs

5.1.1 Fixed fees

The cost of applying to register on the AISR is the same as that for the General Register and consists of a one off fee as prescribed in the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Fees Determination 2015.

The AMSA Fees Determination is updated from time to time and applicants should always view the current version when considering costs.

5.1.2 Services and inspections at the hourly rate

The pre-registration inspection and any other inspections or services requested by the owner/ operator (noting this does not include flag State control inspections) and any work undertaken with respect to special approvals or exemptions will be charged at the hourly rate. With regard to this charge the following should be noted:

1. The hourly rate is $272 AUD per hour for services provided by a Marine Surveyor or equivalent AMSA Officer. This is calculated on the basis of each fully or partially completed half-hour. As noted in section 5 of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Fees Determination 2015. A minimum charge of $136 will be applied for all services charged on the basis of the hourly rate.
2. The hourly rate will also apply to 8.4 hours of travelling time per day, or part thereof where the AMSA officer is required to travel overseas. Travelling time within Australia will be based on the time travelled out to a maximum of 7.6 hours per day.
3. In addition to the hourly rate for hours worked and travelling time AMSA will also recover travelling costs and waiting time as specified in paragraphs 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 of the Determination. These charges will cover cost that have been, or are expected to be, incurred by the AMSA in providing the service in question.

5.1.3 Manning

All Australian flagged ships which are subject to the Navigation Act are required to have a safe manning determination. The following charges apply to this service:

1. Processing of an application for approval of safe manning determination will attract a one off charge of $1088 AUD.
2. Processing of an application for review of existing safe manning determination will attract a one off charge of $544 AUD.

5.1.4 Registration Charges

Shipping registration charges are paid as a one off fee for each service provided. The current AMSA fees and charges determination should be consulted when making an application to determine the correct fee, which is to accompany the application. Find out more about the AMSA fees and charges determination.

5.2 Administration levies and charges

AMSA is predominately a self-funding government agency and the functions undertaken by AMSA are based on cost recovery arrangements, either through direct payment for specific services identified in Australian Maritime Safety Authority Fee Determination 2015 or by cost recovery through levies for funding of overarching regulatory safety, navigation and pollution response frameworks.

Port and flag state regulatory functions undertaken by AMSA are funded through the regulatory functions levy (RFL) established under the Marine Navigation (Regulatory Functions) Levy Act 1991. 

5.2.1 Regulatory Functions Levy (RFL) for AISR ships

For general register ships (which operate predominantly on Australian coastal trades) and foreign flag ships in Australian waters levies are paid as prescribed in the Marine Navigation (Regulatory Functions) Levy Act 1991 on the basis of entry to Australian ports.

However, as ships on the AISR will not necessary be in Australian waters, but will impose the same regulatory costs on AMSA as other ships, the RFL levy for AISR ships will fall due on the first day of each quarter, regardless of location, as detailed in s.6(4A) of Marine Navigation (Regulatory Functions) Levy Act 1991.

As of 1 July 2012 the RFL is calculated on the following basis as detailed in Regulation 4 of the Marine Navigation (Regulatory Functions) Levy Regulations 1992:

• 17.0 cents, or such other amount as is from time to time prescribed, for each of the first 5,000 tons of the ship’s net tonnage.
• 17.1 cents, or such other amount as is from time to time prescribed, for each ton by which the ship’s net tonnage is more than 5,000 tons but not more than 20,000 tons.
• 17.0 cents, or such other amount as is from time to time prescribed, for each ton by which the ship’s net tonnage is more than 20,000 tons but not more than 50,000 tons.
• 15.5 cents, or such other amount as is from time to time prescribed, for each ton by which the ship’s net tonnage is more than 50,000 tons.

The table below provides an indication the annual cost of the RFL based on ship size, however, the actual levy needs to be calculated on the basis of the ships net tonnage in each case.

• Indicative RFL Levy as a yearly cost

5.2.2 Marine Navigation and Protection of the Sea Levies for AISR ships

These levies fall due and are payable in the same manner as for all other ships when they call at Australian ports or operate in Australian waters. As a result these levies will not be payable by AISR ships that do not visit Australia.

5.3 Payment methods

5.3.1 Hourly rate charges

Owners/operators will be invoiced for hourly rate services. In some cases advance payment may be sought on such services. Payment for hourly rate services is by credit card (Visa or MasterCard only) or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

5.3.2 Registration charges detailed in 5.1.3.

For applications for registration the fee must be paid with the application. This can be paid by using one of the following methods:

• By Cheque made payable to “Australian Maritime Safety Authority”
• By Direct Deposit to the following account:

Account name: Australian Maritime Safety Authority
Bank and branch: Westpac, Westfield Shopping Centre, Belconnen ACT 2617
Account no: 216888
Branch no: 032-778
International Swift Code: WPACAU2S

• By Credit Card – by completing form 114.

5.3.3 Payment of Levies

Levies can be paid by credit card (Visa or MasterCard only), direct debit authority or EFT via the AMSA Levy Payment Portal.

More information

• Information on levy payment
• email: levyqueries@amsa.gov.au
• Web: www.amsa.gov.au/levies

* Registration costs and charges mentioned in this section are subject to change. For up to date fees and charges please refer to the Australian Maritime Safety Fee Determination.