Name: Maritime Safety Queensland
Address: Buccaneer Drive Urangan QLD 4655
Telephone: 07 4194 9600
Fax: 07 4194 9650

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Website: http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Home/About_us/

Details:

Maritime Safety Queensland

Maritime Safety Queensland is a government agency attached to the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Our role is to protect Queensland's waterways and the people who use them - providing safer, cleaner seas. Maritime Safety Queensland is responsible for:

• improving maritime safety for shipping and small craft through regulation and education 
• minimising vessel-sourced waste and responding to marine pollution
• providing essential maritime services such as pilotage for regional ports and aids to navigation
• encouraging and supporting innovation in the maritime industry.  
  • Aquatic events
    An aquatic event is an organised water activity such as boat or swimming races, sailing regattas, waterskiing competitions, or fireworks displays that are likely to affect the normal operation of ships in the area of the event. If you want to hold an aquatic event you will require a permit.
  • Boating facilities
    A list of boating facilities such as boat ramps and jetties in Queensland from south to north.
  • Buoy moorings
    Maritime Safety Queensland is responsible for the management and control of buoy moorings in Queensland waters. Buoy moorings are an accepted means of securing vessels, providing a suitable alternative to methods such as anchoring.
  • Cyclone contingency plans
    Cyclones typically strike between November and April. Boaties need to be prepared to protect themselves and their boats from the damage cyclones can cause.
  • There are defined areas for various maritime-related activities. These include:
    • Compulsory pilotage areas
    • Pilotage areas
    • Port limits
    • Smooth and partially smooth limits.
    • Hydrographic survey standards

Maritime Safety Queensland has developed standards for hydrographic surveys within Queensland waters in consultation with all Queensland port authorities. These standards are based on the national Principles for Gathering and Processing Hydrographic Information in Australian Ports prepared by the Association of Australian Port and Marine Authorities (AAPMA). They supplement the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) Special Publication S44 which provides the minimum international standards for hydrographic surveys. The standards are to be used as a reference when undertaking hydrographic survey work for Maritime Safety Queensland.

• Marine zones
  Marine zones will be created to address a combination of safety, general amenity, noise, and enforceability issues that cannot be addressed through other regulatory means.
• Restricted areas on Queensland waterways
  Some activities such as water skiing, riding a toboggan or tube, operating a personal watercraft, anchoring, or mooring may be restricted in particular areas.
• Speed limits for Queensland waterways
  Maximum speed limits apply in boating areas. There are penalties and on-the-spot fines for exceeding a speed limit. For safety reasons, it may be necessary to stay well below these limits depending on the conditions.
• Vessel size restrictions for non-trading ports
• Tidal works applications Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS)
  Applications for tidal works are administered under the Integrated Planning Act 1997 under a system called the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS). 

As the fundamental principle of the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) legislation, the general safety obligation transfers the responsibility of safety to owners and operators and encourages risk management. The Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 imposes general safety obligations on:

• ship designers, builders and surveyors about the condition of ships
• persons involved with the operation of a ship to operate it safely
• owners and masters about safety equipment.

All owners and operators, masters and crew members must ensure the ship is:

• safe
• properly equipped and crewed
• operated in a safe manner.

These general safety obligations prohibit a ship from going to sea if it is not properly built and maintained, equipped, crewed and operated in accordance with its proposed operating environment.

The Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 provides penalties for breach of safety obligations.

Last updated 23 April 2009

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