Last Wednesday evening, I attended an AMSA board reception with WA stakeholders at the Ocean Center Hotel, Geraldton.

Holding board meetings in regional locations gives AMSA’s

constituents the chance to meet the Board and the Executive. It’s also a

chance for the Board to get a firsthand understanding of stakeholders

needs, especially newest National System stakeholders.

The Evening was very informative and outlined the direction AMSA hopes to take in the management of Domestic Commercial Vessels after State Authorities have been relieved of their responsibilities in this area, post 2017.

AMSA is prepared to assume responsibility for delivering a number of domestic commercial vessel services from 1 July 2017, and transition to delivery of all National System services by 1 July 2019. This will allow for an orderly transition and will involve consultation with industry.

AMSAs challenge is to realise the true benefits that a National System can deliver, particularly in the area of consistent service delivery.

The Marine Surveyors Accreditation Scheme, which commenced in January

2015, ensures surveyors are competent to conduct and provide survey reports

for domestic commercial vessels.

The scheme is the product of extensive consultation with the various state and

territory maritime agencies and representative bodies such as the Australasian Institute of Marine Surveyors.

I also had the opportunity to speak informally with AMSA Board and Executives about the transition plans for RTOs in relation to sea service assessment, final exams (orals assessment) and where AMSAs responsibility may lay in regards to the higher certificates of competencies, however, some areas of AMSAs projected responsibilities are yet to be finalized.

AMSA will continue its search and rescue capabilities which are being bolstered by new dedicated aircraft to be based in Perth, Cairns and Essendon. The Bombardier Challenger jets will progressively come into service from

August.

AMSA now manages a network of 492 navigational aids at 381 sites around

the 36,000 km of Australia’s coastline, assisting the maritime industry in making safe passages.

As part of AMSAs day-to-day business, they will:

• ·      Continue to monitor the 415,000 registered emergency distress beacons,
• second only to the US in numbers.
• ·      Regulate the 27,000 foreign-flagged ship arrivals each year, which.
• includes the 75% of the world’s largest bulk carriers that come to Australia.
• ·      Continue to integrate the 27,600 domestic commercial vessels into the
• National System.
• ·      Certify the 66,000 active domestic seafarers who between them hold
• 84,000 certificates.
• ·      Monitor the safety of over million Australians who choose to take a cruise
• each year in the fastest growing cruise market in the world.

I would commend AMSA for conducting these evenings around the country and people who attended were pleased with the attentive nature of AMSA delegates who made themselves available for this valuable networking opportunity.

Mick McAuliffe,

Green Sea Survey