AMSA updates requirements for passenger safety

In response to recent fatal and serious incidents involving missing passengers, AMSA has clarified and strengthened requirements for monitoring and counting passengers and managing missing passenger situations, in order to improve overall passenger safety.

The new changes have been made through Marine order 504 (Certificates of operation and operation requirements – national law) Amendment 2020.

From 31 May 2020, any domestic commercial vessel that carries passengers must meet new requirements for passenger safety.

Those operating a vessel that takes passengers must:

• Include a procedure in safety management system to ensure passengers are monitored and accounted for during a voyage. The procedure must allow the master to be able to identify how many passengers are on board at any time.
• Include an emergency procedure in safety management system that deals with the a missing passenger.
• Some operators will need to ensure that their procedures include a count of all passengers onboard the vessel where one or more passengers embark on, or disembark from, the vessel—including when the vessel departs a landing point along the way or departs a site where passengers may have left the vessel to undertake a water activity.
• Keep a record of the results of any passenger counts in the vessel’s logbook.

AMSA will be holding a series of information sessions around the country during the transition period to explain the new requirements and provide advice on how to meet and be compliant with the new requirements. Make sure your safety management system adequately addresses your passengers’ safety.

Earlier in February, AMSA also announced a collaboration to advance the safety of commercial fishing operations at the Far North Queensland’s remote areas.

See also:

11 serious maritime incidents in January, AMSA reports