A lack of planned maintenance can have a significant impact on the safety of the vessel, people, and the marine environment. Maintenance-related issues do not always receive the attention they deserve, as these are often difficult to detect and can be regarded as entirely technical matters, unrelated to safety and pollution prevention. As a result, maintenance matters may not be reported or addressed as part of the organisation’s safety management system. This increases risks to safety and can result in substantial costs arising from repairs and operational delays. 

Nearly three quarters of all marine incident reports received by AMSA between 2019 and 2021 involved deficiencies or failures with onboard equipment, systems, or structure. Between January and February 2022, AMSA conducted focused inspections on planned maintenance which continued to highlight systemic problems with vessel maintenance.