Risk Area 1.1: Unsafe and unseaworthy vessels

Port State control (PSC) inspection data showed an increase in both deficiency and detention rates between 2022 to 2023. Total detainable deficiencies increased from 220 in 2022 to 263 in 2023. The rate of deficiencies per inspection increased from 2.58 to 2.68. Total detentions increased by 21.4% (145 to 176). The detentions as a percentage of total inspections increased from 6.0% to 6.3%.

For flag State control (FSC) inspections there was an increase in the number of detainable deficiencies between 2022 (4) to 2023 (5)¹. The rate of deficiencies per inspection also increased from 2.78 to 3.92. Detentions as a percentage of total inspections increased from 3.16% to 3.80%.

Actions

AMSA will continue to focus its inspection efforts on those vessels considered as higher risk coming to Australia based on a targeting algorithm.

AMSA will focus flag State control inspections on vessels that mainly undertake international voyages.

AMSA will conduct at least 2,400 port State control inspections based on vessel priority.

Risk Area 1. 2: Maintenance and response – disabled vessels

There were 16 serious disablement incidents reported in 2023. Poor planned maintenance and inadequate emergency preparedness have been identified as issues.

Actions

AMSA will integrate this focus area into its annual inspection regime, with a particular focus on elements of the international Safety Management (ISM) code requirements. AMSA will also conduct safety education focusing prevention and emergency preparedness related to disabled vessels.

Risk Area 1. 3: Maintenance – watertight integrity

There has been an increase in flooding incidents in 2023 with 6 of these categorised as serious. This continues to present a high risk in Australia with potentially fatal consequences and catastrophic impact to the environment.

Actions

AMSA will focus on elements of the ISM responsibility relating to maintenance with a specific focus on watertight integrity and ingress points. Hatch covers inspection and maintenance will be specifically targeted.

Footnotes

¹ The number of Regulated Australian vessels compared to foreign flagged vessels is low and may impact the overall analysis. Refer to the Annual Inspections Report for more details.

Risk Area 2.1: Working conditions and practices – fatalities and serious injuries

Since the implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) AMSA has made a significant contribution to improving the living and working conditions of seafarers on vessels. We will continue to apply a zero-tolerance approach to breaches that compromise seafarer safety and welfare. We will continue to do our part to ensure seafarers on vessels visiting Australian ports are being afforded the requirements under the MLC¹, including responding to, and encouraging, MLC-related complaints.

There were 72 serious injuries and one fatality (working aloft) reported in 2023. Safe working conditions and associated practices remain an issue on board vessels visiting Australia. AMSA will focus on Health and safety protection and accident prevention (Title 4) of the MLC.

Actions

AMSA will participate in the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign on conditions of employment from 1 September to 30 November 2024.

Additionally, AMSA will conduct safety education focusing on work health and safety conditions and practices specifically during maintenance activities on board vessels.

Footnotes

¹ MLC complaint follow up is done either through an onboard inspection and/or via the flag State. AMSA will also continue to promote the use of the on-board complaints process.

Risk Area 3.1: Domestic commercial vessel inspection targeting

AMSA employs a risk-based, targeted prioritisation model. The analysis of more comprehensive inspection data has allowed further refinement of risk profiles for targeting purpose.

Actions

AMSA will conduct at least 2,300 inspections of domestic commercial vessels based on vessel priority.¹

Risk Area 3.2: Safe working practices – injury to crew and passengers

Marine Order 504 Phase 2 regulatory changes are linked to existing risk areas across the domestic commercial vesseL fleet. Phase 2 is expected to focus on changes to safety management system provisions, including simpler systems for smaller vessels, covering the following:

• Fatigue management
• Dangerous goods 
• Emergency plans 
• Simplified SMS
• Stability risks

Actions

Marine Order 504 Phase 2 is scheduled for implementation in late 2024. This will involve an education campaign which covers the range of new regulatory requirements, but with particular focus placed on the new simplified SMS requirements for small vessels and simple operations. As these are new regulatory requirements, it is too early to implement a focused inspection campaign. 

Risk Area 3.3: Persons overboard, fatalities

Three (3) Operational fatalities occurred in 2023 (1 hire & drive, 1 passenger, 1 crew on a class 3). All vessels were less than 7.5 metres in length, and all involved persons overboard.

A Focused Inspection Campaign on lifejacket wear requirements conducted in Quarter 3 and 4 of 2023 and introduced as part of the phase 1 changes to Marine Order 504, showed that 46% of the inspected vessels could not identify when lifejackets must be worn. 44% did not identify lifejacket wear other than in an emergency.

Actions

There is a need for continued compliance focus on lifejacket wear and risk assessment requirements. A safety education campaign will be conducted to revisit the requirements.

Risk Area 3.4: Carriage of dangerous goods

Carriage of dangerous goods is a high-risk activity for domestic commercial vessels. As such, it has been incorporated into the requirements of MO504 phase 2. This risk area will provide an opportunity to collaborate with State Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulators. 

Actions

AMSA will publish safety information in collaboration with State WHS regulators focusing on the carriage of dangerous goods on domestic commercial vessels.

Risk Area 3.5: Torres Strait and Top End: Safe vessel operations

AMSA will continue engagement with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities. As relationships are developed between AMSA and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, safety management system workshops will be offered to Indigenous stakeholder groups and vessel owner/operators.

This compliance priority is aligned with AMSA’s reconciliation vision and Reconciliation Action Plan.²

Actions

AMSA will conduct safety management safety education with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander domestic commercial vessel owners and operators including providing guidance on changes to operational safety requirements, including the implementation of Marine Order 504 phase 2 requirements.

Risk Area 3.6: Poorly implemented safety management systems

Vessel operations represent a concerning proportion of serious and very serious marine incidents. A major contributing factor to these incidents is the quality of Safety Management System (SMS) implementation, including risk assessment, safety procedures, crew training and emergency drills.

Actions

AMSA will conduct operational monitoring on key areas of risk assessment, maintenance, crewing and emergency preparedness.

Risk Area 3.7: Pilot transfer operations

Pilot transfer operations present a niche maritime risk that involves a high level of consequence and a high level of complexity in interacting between a domestic commercial vessel (pilot launch) and a vessel requiring a pilot.

Actions

AMSA will conduct operational monitoring on domestic commercial vessel pilot launch operations.

Footnotes

¹ AMSA continues to refine the domestic commercial vessel inspection targeting algorithm. Targets are guidance based on data from the time of publication and may change.

² AMSA, Our Reconciliation Action Plans, AMSA website, 2023, accessed 17 April 2024.

Risk Area 4.1: MARPOL Annex V (Garbage) – domestic commercial vessels

AMSA’s previous survey on DCV awareness and compliance with pollution prevention (garbage) requirements (MARPOL Annex V).¹ highlighted a need to raise awareness of the regulations aimed at preventing both accidental pollution and pollution from vessel operations that apply to DCVs. This includes placard display, garbage management plans, garbage record books, discharge rules and procedures. The 2024/25 focus will be on MARPOL Annex V and the prevention of pollution by garbage from domestic commercial vessels.

Actions

AMSA will continue its education campaign on compliance with MARPOL V. Inspections on vessels between 100-400 GT will focus on MARPOL V compliance, including inspection of garbage record books and associated procedures.

Footnotes

¹AMSA, Focus on pollution prevention – domestic commercial vessel education campaign, AMSA website, 2023, accessed 6 June 2023.