Media release

Australia has today been successfully re-elected to category b of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2022-23 biennium.

The IMO is a specialised United Nations agency responsible for the safety, efficiency and security of international shipping and the prevention of pollution by ships. The IMO Council is responsible for supervising the work of the Organization. Category b represents countries with the largest interest in international seaborne trade and is made up of only 10 IMO Member States.

The tragic disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in 2014 highlighted the need to improve the global air navigation system, especially over remote and ocean areas, including near Australia. 

As a result, the new Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) has been developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), member States and the aviation industry. 

Nominations are now open for the Australian Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) award which recognises the outstanding contribution by a VTS during 2021. 

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Response Centre has been officially recognised as a Commonwealth Emergency Service Facility under the Telecommunications (Intercept and Access) Act 1979.

The formal accreditation recognises the processes and systems AMSA has embedded into the Response Centre – which operates a national search and rescue service for the Australian maritime and aviation sectors – in accordance with legislative requirements. 

Australia has provided marine oil spill response support to Sri Lanka following the sinking of the Singapore-flagged MV X-Press Pearl container ship off the coast of Colombo last June.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority supplied more than three tonnes of spill response equipment to Sri Lanka, which was recently delivered through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 

The  Australian  Maritime  Safety  Authority (AMSA) is inviting  feedback  from the domestic commercial  vessel  industry on aproposal  to  mandate  lifejacket wear on  some  domestic commercial vessels.

Informed  by  safety  data, AMSA  is exploring  options  to  increase  lifejacket  wear  across  the domestic commercial vessel sector, focusing on sectors of the fleet with the greatest risk of a fatality following a person overboard incident.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) would like to congratulate the recipients of this year's National Search and Rescue Council’s (NATSAR) Australian Search and Rescue Awards. 

The awards are presented by the NATSAR Council in recognition of outstanding contribution to search and rescue within the Australian region. 

AMSA Executive Director Response, Mr Mark Morrow, said it was a great honour to be able to recognise the brave actions of the recipients.  

“The actions of these recipients cannot be understated,” Mr Morrow said. 

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has today banned the Singapore-flagged bulk carrier Western Callao from Australian ports for six months.

AMSA inspected the ship at Port Adelaide in South Australia on Monday 6 September 2021 after receiving a complaint regarding the underpayment of seafarers and repatriation issues. 

Today, on World Maritime Day, Australia joins other nations in highlighting the vital role seafarers play in our lives.