National Compliance

Domestic commercial vessels (DCV)

Since the introduction and gradual change to a National system for vessel surveys there has been an enormous amount of changes and information issued and superseded on how to maintain a commercial vessel and bring a vessel in to commercial operations.

We can help you with that process. Having been previously accredited with Maritime Safety Qld as an accredited designer and now accredited as a Marine Surveyor with AMSA we are well placed to help you work your way through the red tape to achieve your goal.

My areas of accreditation are listed below and even if I can’t help you in a particular area, we have the contacts to point you to the right person for the job.

a) Initial survey—plan approval

b) Initial survey—stability approval

c) Initial survey—load line—assignment

i) Initial survey—construction or alteration—load line conditions and markings

n) Periodic survey—load line

o) Survey of safety equipment

The paragraphs below give an explanation of the system now required to apply for a certificate of survey or operation certificate. Even if the information below doesn’t answer your questions, feel free to give us a call to discuss your situation.

Vessels in Australia being used for any commercial, government or research activity must be compliant with Australian standards and regulations.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) are responsible for the safety of domestic commercial vessels and making sure your obligations as an owner or operator are clear and easy for you to meet.

When operating in the marine environment, there are compliance requirements you must meet. These include safety requirements, regular vessel surveys, permits and certificates of operation.

Commercial vessels working in Australia need to have—unless exempt—a certificate of survey and a certificate of operation. People working on these vessels must have a certificate of competency.

Transition of services

From 1 July 2018, AMSA will become the one point of contact for most services for domestic commercial vessels and crew.

Services from now until 30 June 2018

Nothing changes, keep accessing services from your local marine safety agency.

Until 30 June 2018, obtain these services from your state or territory marine safety agency

Until 30 June 2018, apply directly to AMSA for

DCV Requirements

There are a number of certificates and permits you need if you are operating a domestic commercial vessel.

If you own a vessel in Australia and use it for any commercial, government or research activity, you need to apply for (or already be issued with) either a:

certificate of survey
non-survey vessel permit (or be eligible to operate as a non-survey vessel without a permit)
class C restricted operations permit
Another vessel permit or exemption.

You will also need either a:

certificate of operation
Certificate of operation exemption and a safety management system.

You must also get and display a unique identifier on your vessel, and comply with the general safety duties relating to domestic commercial vessels, in accordance with the Marine Safety (Domestic commercial vessel) National Law Act 2012.

To get a Certificate of survey or Certificates of operation

To be able to apply for and receive any of the operating certificates you are required to have your vessel surveyed (inspected) by an Accredited Marine Surveyor.

AMSA accredited surveyors to assist AMSA in inspecting vessels.

AMSA accredit surveyors to act as a third party provider to make sure domestic commercial vessels needing a survey meet national law requirements.

Accredited surveyors have the responsibility of checking a vessel’s compliance with the national standard for commercial vessels (NSCV), the national standard for the administration of marine safety (NSAMS) and the uniform shipping law code (USL Code), as well as Marine Order 503 (Certificates of survey—national law) 2013 and Marine Order 507 (Load line certificates—national law) 2013. These standards and marine orders provide recommendations to AMSA about the appropriateness of a vessel to hold, or be issued, a certificate of survey and / or a load line certificate.

Accredited surveyors are not employed by AMSA and are also not issued work (jobs). As a vessel owner you have the option to select any accredited surveyor to undertake the survey of your vessel.

Types of survey

In general terms, surveys follow the lifecycle of a vessel. The three broad types of surveys are:

plan approval
construction or alteration survey
Periodic survey.

Plan approval is conducted to assess the overall design of a vessel against the applicable standards prior to its construction. Plan approval includes the review of plans, design calculations and building specifications.

Build or alteration surveys are conducted to ensure that a vessel is built in accordance with the approved design and the applicable standards. These surveys may include verification of the quality of workmanship, the quality of materials used, the arrangement of safety and machinery systems and the placement of draft marks.

Periodic surveys are conducted to verify that a vessel continues to comply with any applicable standards.

Categories of the scheme

The categories of the scheme relate to survey activities described in National Standard for Administration of Marine Safety (NSAMS) Standards, section 4, and the National Standard for Commercial Vessels:

(a) Initial survey—plan approval

Assess and approve a vessel’s plans against the applicable standards.

(b) Initial survey—stability approval

Assess and approve a vessel’s stability book against the applicable standard.

(c) Initial survey—load line—assignment

Assign a load line to a vessel in accordance with the applicable standards.

(d) Initial survey—electrical—extra low voltage

Assess a vessel’s electrical installation (up to 50V AC or 120V DC) during construction or alteration to ensure it meets the applicable standards.

(e) Initial survey—electrical—low voltage

Assess a vessel’s electrical installation (up to 1000V AC or 1500V DC) during construction or alteration to ensure it meets the applicable standards.

(f) Initial survey—electrical—high voltage

Assess a vessel’s electrical installation (greater than 1000V AC or 1500V DC) during construction or alteration to ensure it meets the applicable standards.

(g) Initial survey—construction or alteration—hull, deck, superstructure

Assess a vessel’s hull and superstructure, including workmanship, during construction, alteration, or repair to ensure that it meets the applicable standards and approved plans.

(h) Initial survey—construction or alteration—machinery

Assess a vessel’s machinery during construction, alteration, or repair to ensure that it meets the applicable standards and approved plans.

(i) Initial survey—construction or alteration—load line conditions and markings

Assess a vessel’s load line in relation to its conditions of assignment during construction or alteration to ensure that it meets the applicable standards and approved plans.

(j) Initial survey—construction or alteration—equipment

Assess a vessel’s equipment during construction, alteration, or repair to ensure that it meets the applicable standards and approved plans.

(k) Initial survey—construction or alteration—commissioning

Conduct final assessments of a vessel after construction, prior to service, to determine that the vessel is fit for purpose and that all systems function as expected.

(l) Periodic survey

Assess an existing vessel’s structure, machinery, systems and equipment to ensure that they continue to meet the applicable standards and that no modifications have been made.

(m) Periodic survey—electrical

Assess an existing vessel’s electrical installation to ensure it continues to meet the applicable standards and that no modifications have been made.

(n) Periodic survey—load line

Assess an existing vessel’s load line certificate, markings and conditions of assignment to ensure they continue to meet the applicable standards and that no modifications have been made.

(o) Survey of safety equipment

Assess an existing vessel’s safety equipment to ensure that it continues to meet the applicable standards.

(p) Survey of communications equipment

Assess an existing vessel’s radio and communications equipment to ensure that it continues to meet the applicable standards.