SEPTEMBER 2008

IN THIS ISSUE

Please Select an Article to Read

• New South Wales Maritime Safety Laws Overhauled
• Protection of the sea - levy increase from 1 July 2008
• A day in the life of an HWL Ebsworth Maritime lawyer
• Australian Coastal and Marine Pollution Regulation & Response
• Habour Pilots - For whom the bell tolls?
• Marine Order Part 32
• Direct Offshore Foreign Insurers (DOFI) - Regulations commencing 1 July 2008
• New bulk wheat export marketing system for Australia
• Environmental Crimes: Increasing Sentencing Certainty
• Safe anchoring on the New South Wales coast

 

Habour Pilots - For whom the bell tolls?

The NSW Legislative Assembly has recently passed amendments to the Maritime Safety Act, which includes provisions for the State Government to dispense with rules concerning the operation of marine pilots and the safe navigation of vessels over 30 metres.

In summary, the changes allow any NSW Harbour Master to approve a vessel’s entry into a harbour without having a qualified pilot on board the vessel.

The Australian Marine Pilots Association has raised concerns over the amendments and stressed that pilots are essential in busy ports where their specialist knowledge was essential for safe navigation.

Ships carrying 100,000 tonnes of crude oil regularly travel into Sydney Harbour and the risk of a non-piloted vessel could have disastrous environmental consequences. In almost all cases, any ships that visit the harbour enter or leave the command of a pilot.

We will keep readers updated with how the changes are implemented in practice.

 

Written by Andrew Pearson, Senior Associate