The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) informs that from 1 June 2025, new safety management system (SMS) requirements will come into effect, for some domestic commercial vessels, aimed at improving safety.
According to AMSA, the recent updates were carefully developed in close collaboration with various industry stakeholders. This collaborative approach was undertaken to ensure that the changes are both practical for implementation and effective in achieving their intended outcomes. These updates specifically address domestic commercial vessels, with a primary focus on enhancing safety standards.
Important Note: AMSA highlihts that only owners of domemistic vessels which are under 7.5 metres and of class 2 (non- passenger), class 3 (fishing) and class 4 (hire& drive) will be eligible for a simplified SMS.
Key changes include:
- Simplified SMS: Owners of some vessels under 7.5 metres will be eligible for a simplified SMS.
- Fatigue management: Vessel owners will need to identify and address the risk of master and crew fatigue in the vessel’s risk assessment. This does not apply to Class 4 vessels.
- Drug and alcohol policy: Vessel owners will need to have a drug and alcohol policy in the vessel’s SMS to manage the risks associated with drug and alcohol use.
- Cargo and dangerous goods: Vessels undertaking cargo operations, including the carriage of dangerous goods, will need to include a procedure in their SMS outlining how they manage the specific risks.
- Key operational procedures to be covered in every SMS: Class 1, 2 and 3 vessel owners will need to have procedures covering the key vessel operations in their SMS, if relevant.
- Vessel emergency plans: Loss of propulsion and oil or fuel spills will need to be covered in the vessel’s emergency plan, if relevant.
- Master and designated person responsibility statement: The master’s responsibility and authority statement has been clarified to better outline their authority and there is now a requirement to set out a designated person’s responsibility statement. Different rules may apply to vessels eligible to operate under a simplified SMS in certain circumstances.
- Assembly station requirements: Alternative assembly stations will only be required if reasonably practicable based on the vessel’s layout, characteristics and risk assessment. Different rules may apply to vessels eligible to operate under a simplified SMS.
- Record of vessel modifications: Vessel owners will need to identify risks to vessel stability in the vessel’s risk assessment and maintain a record of vessel modifications impacting stability. This does not apply to Class 4 vessels and different rules may apply to vessels eligible to operate under a simplified SMS.