House of Representatives Committees

Standing Committee on Communications, Transport and Microeconomic Reform

Ship safe

Recommendations

Chapter 2 Quality of ships

Recommendation 1

The committee recommends that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's continue to be an active participant in the IMO Flag State Implementation subcommittee.

Recommendation 2

The committee recommends the expedition of legislation requiring ships visiting Australian ports to have P&I insurance.

Further, the committee recommends that this legislation also require that ships are insured for occupational injury, disability and death.

Chapter 3 Operational issues

Recommendation 3

The committee recommends that

all foreign ships on intrastate voyages in Australian waters should come under the jurisdiction of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority
the Commonwealth review the existing arrangements for the jurisdiction over floating platforms and report the findings to parliament.

Recommendation 4

The committee recommends that pilots be required to report all serious safety breaches to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

Recommendation 5

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth in conjunction with the States/Territories and appropriate parties, develop and approve a national training and selection framework for port pilots.

Chapter 4 Port state control

Recommendation 6

The committee recommends that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority continue to initiate action through the Asia Pacific memorandum of understanding to achieve greater consistency and uniformity in port state control inspections in the region.

Recommendation 7

The committee recommends that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority ensure that appropriate attention is paid to ships visiting small ports.

Further, the committee recommends that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority develop a strategy to maximise the likelihood that harbour masters in small ports will report defective ships.

Recommendation 8

The committee notes the high standard achieved by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in its port state control program, and recommends that this standard be maintained.

Further, the committee recommends that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority investigate the implementation of a port state control scheme which would substantially offset the commercial advantage accrued by the operation of substandard ships.

Chapter 6 Crew welfare

Recommendation 9

The committee recommends the case of the Glory Cape be referred to the International Maritime Organization's Flag State Compliance subcommittee for the flag state's failure to investigate.

Recommendation 10

The committee reaffirms the recommendation in Review Inquiry into ship standards and safetyProgress Report (1994) and Ships of ShameA Sequel: Inquiry into ship safety (1995) that Australia ratify International Labor Organization Convention 147.

Recommendation 11

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth either:

investigate setting up and providing funding on an annual basis for a National Seafarers' Welfare Network, and report to Parliament by June 1999, or
provide funding on an annual basis for selected seafarers' welfare organisations.