Appropriate crewing evaluation

Factors to be considered	Evaluation—Consider the following questions
Tasks or activities of the vessel Demands on the master and crew of each task or activity; and Safe navigation of the vessel Mooring arrangements	What tasks will the vessel undertake and what will the crew be required to do?
The number of persons to be carried Effective monitoring of passengers by the crew	How many persons will the vessel carry and how will they be monitored?
Design characteristics of the vessel General arrangement Machinery and equipment	What are the design characteristics of the vessel that may effect crewing numbers?
Competency of master and crew for: Use of technological aids to safety and navigation in addition to mandatory requirements Training requirements for use of aids Familiarisation training	What equipment or aids to navigation are fitted on the vessel and how does that impact on the crew’s duties or tasks? What training to the crew require to be able to use such equipment or aids? What should familiarisation training include?
The area of operation Expected weather, climate, water temperature, sea conditions. Refer to guidance from the Bureau of Meteorology Traffic, visibility Availability of assistance	Where will the vessel operate? What are the expected traffic, weather, sea, and visibility conditions? How will conditions affect the performance or duties of the crew?
Duration of the voyage Day/night voyages, voyages over 12 hours Crew required for lookout duties Sufficient crew to allow adequate rest periods	When will the vessel operate? How long will the vessel operate for? What arrangements are there for the crew to rest?
The risk of fatigue of the master and crew Fatigue management Monitoring hours of work and rest Factors affecting fatigue – refer to fatigue guidelines	How will fatigue affect the crew? How will fatigue be managed? How will hours of work or rest be monitored? What additional duties or conditions could contribute to fatigue? Refer to fatigue guidance
Emergency preparedness Emergency plan and evacuation arrangements Emergency equipment fitted and the training required for use of such equipment Number of crew required to evacuate the vessel Personnel available to provide first aid Emergency drills	How will the vessel’s crew deal with an emergency? How will they evacuate the vessel if required? What training will be required? At what frequency will training drills be carried out?
Maintenance requirements Maintenance tasks Crew required to complete tasks	What maintenance tasks need to be carried out by the crew? Are the crew trained to carry out maintenance safely?
Risk to the environment and persons on or near the vessel Consideration of the risks the vessel poses to the environment in various operational circumstances Consideration of other people in the vicinity	How do the vessel’s operations affect the environment? Are people on board or near the vessel impacted by the vessel’s operations?
Qualifications and competency of the master and crew Qualifications and experience of the master and crew Training requirements Consideration when only the master holds engineering certification	What are the qualifications and experience levels of the crew? Are their qualifications and experience sufficient to carry out the required duties?
External support available to the vessel Arrangements in place to seek support Training requirements to use communications equipment Contact point for emergency support	What support is available to the vessel if required? Are all crew aware of communications methods? Do they know how to seek help?
Key on board operations Crew required to carry out routine and non-routine tasks	What are the key operations that need to be carried out?
Any other matters or considerations

Factors to be considered

Evaluation—Consider the following questions

Tasks or activities of the vessel

Demands on the master and crew of each task or activity; and
Safe navigation of the vessel
Mooring arrangements

What tasks will the vessel undertake and what will the crew be required to do?

The number of persons to be carried

Effective monitoring of passengers by the crew

How many persons will the vessel carry and how will they be monitored?

Design characteristics of the vessel

General arrangement
Machinery and equipment

What are the design characteristics of the vessel that may effect crewing numbers?

Competency of master and crew for:

Use of technological aids to safety and navigation in addition to mandatory requirements
Training requirements for use of aids
Familiarisation training

What equipment or aids to navigation are fitted on the vessel and how does that impact on the crew’s duties or tasks?

What training to the crew require to be able to use such equipment or aids?

What should familiarisation training include?

The area of operation

Expected weather, climate, water temperature, sea conditions. Refer to guidance from the Bureau of Meteorology
Traffic, visibility
Availability of assistance

Where will the vessel operate?

What are the expected traffic, weather, sea, and visibility conditions?

How will conditions affect the performance or duties of the crew?

Duration of the voyage

Day/night voyages, voyages over 12 hours
Crew required for lookout duties
Sufficient crew to allow adequate rest periods

When will the vessel operate?

How long will the vessel operate for?

What arrangements are there for the crew to rest?

The risk of fatigue of the master and crew

Fatigue management
Monitoring hours of work and rest
Factors affecting fatigue – refer to fatigue guidelines

How will fatigue affect the crew?

How will fatigue be managed?

How will hours of work or rest be monitored?

What additional duties or conditions could contribute to fatigue?

Refer to fatigue guidance

Emergency preparedness

Emergency plan and evacuation arrangements
Emergency equipment fitted and the training required for use of such equipment
Number of crew required to evacuate the vessel
Personnel available to provide first aid
Emergency drills

How will the vessel’s crew deal with an emergency?

How will they evacuate the vessel if required?

What training will be required?

At what frequency will training drills be carried out?

Maintenance requirements

Maintenance tasks
Crew required to complete tasks

What maintenance tasks need to be carried out by the crew?

Are the crew trained to carry out maintenance safely?

Risk to the environment and persons on or near the vessel

Consideration of the risks the vessel poses to the environment in various operational circumstances
Consideration of other people in the vicinity

How do the vessel’s operations affect the environment?

Are people on board or near the vessel impacted by the vessel’s operations?

Qualifications and competency of the master and crew

Qualifications and experience of the master and crew
Training requirements
Consideration when only the master holds engineering certification

What are the qualifications and experience levels of the crew?

Are their qualifications and experience sufficient to carry out the required duties?

External support available to the vessel

Arrangements in place to seek support
Training requirements to use communications equipment
Contact point for emergency support

What support is available to the vessel if required?

Are all crew aware of communications methods?

Do they know how to seek help?

Key on board operations

Crew required to carry out routine and non-routine tasks

What are the key operations that need to be carried out?

Any other matters or considerations

Related information

Crewing guidance for domestic commercial vessels

Appropriate crewing evaluation—template

Related information