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Survey regime consultation

Changes to survey regime for domestic commercial vessels from 1 July 2018.

We proposed to make changes to survey arrangements for the domestic commercial vessel fleet by implementing the outcomes of the Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) – Survey under the National System for Domestic Commercial Vessels (the RIS), as well as a suite of complementary amendments.

It was specifically proposed that these changes commence from 1 July 2018 unless otherwise stated.

The proposed amendments were: 

  • Expanded eligibility criteria for non-survey vessels through changes to Marine Safety (Certificates of survey) Exemption 2018 (Exemption 02).
  • A reduction in the frequency and depth of survey for most DCVs through changes to Marine Order 503 (Certificates of survey - national law) 2018 (Marine Order 503) and the expansion of the Marine Surveyors Accreditation Guidance Manual 2014 (the Marine Surveyor Manual) to cover requirements for persons who undertake surveys of DCVs, including ‘depth’ of survey requirements, in addition to processes for becoming accredited.
  • Expanded eligibility criteria for vessels operating under Marine Safety (Class C restricted operations) Exemption 2018 (Exemption 40).
  • Changes to the requirements for unpowered barges operating under Marine Safety (Unpowered barges) Exemption 2018 (Exemption 41).
  • Minor changes to Marine Order 507 (Load line certificates – national law) 2018 (Marine Order 507) to allow vessels to comply with the Load Lines Convention or Section 7 of the Uniform Shipping Laws Code (USL), and to align with the proposed new Marine Order 503 survey schedule. 
  • Permitting vessels less than 65 metres to ‘drop out of Class’ and move into periodic survey by accredited marine surveyor, and permitting less than 45 metres vessels undergo initial survey by an accredited marine surveyor from 1 July 2020.

We also sought stakeholder feedback on a policy paper which considered further potential changes to the requirements for larger vessels to be surveyed by recognised organisations. The revised instruments have now been made and are available on our website and will commence on 1 July 2018.

Consultation papers

Last updated: 15 September 2023

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