AMSA Marine Notice 03/2013
AMSA has issued Marine Notice 3/2012 regarding Update of Information Regarding Port State Control in Australia.
The purpose of this Marine Notice is to remind ship owners, operators, charterers and crews that AMSA continues to promote high standards for ships calling at Australian ports. Where an unseaworthy vessel is identified, AMSA will take the necessary action to ensure that owners and operators remedy the situation. AMSA publishes full details of detentions on a monthly basis (http://www.amsa.gov.au/Shipping_Safety/Port_State_Control/Ship_Detention/), and has noted an increase in detention rate during 2011, up 2.1 per cent on the previous year.
While it is AMSA’s role to monitor port State control performance and identify trends with respect to unseaworthy ships, this is a reactive mechanism that applies only after a vessel becomes unseaworthy. AMSA take the view it would be far better if ships were not allowed to decline to an unseaworthy condition in the first instance.
To assist owners, operators and crews to maintain their ships in a seaworthy condition, AMSA has reviewed the information provided on it’s website with respect to port State control in Australia. A fact sheet is now provided and the information on the web site has been updated to identify the major issues that have led to detentions by AMSA.
The information provides simple suggestions within each of the identified areas to assist those responsible for operating and maintaining vessels in avoiding detainable deficiencies.
AMSA recognise that the nature of ships and shipping make it impossible to provide definitive checklists which will provide a guarantee that detentions can always be avoided, but AMSA believes that the information supplied on its website may assist in the development of effective procedures and measures that should assist in addressing matters that most frequently result in detention.
AMSA encourages all persons engaged in the operation and maintenance of shipping to take note of the information provided.
The updated information can be accessed at: http://www.amsa.gov.au/Shipping_Safety/Port_State_Control/
Source: AMSA