AMSA launches education campaign for Marine Order 504 changes

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) launched an education campaign in December 2024 to support industry uptake of new SMS requirements contained in Marine Order 504, which come into effect on 1 June 2025.

Marine Order 504 (MO504) contains regulatory requirements for certificates of operation and operational requirements for marine safety including safety management systems, risk assessments and crewing requirements for Australian commercial vessels (DCVs).

Recently, MO504 underwent a review and public consultation process aimed at improving the safety outcomes of the SMS requirements and making them easier to understand, fit for purpose and practical for the diverse range of DCVs across Australia.

Key changes for industry to understand are:

  • Introduction of a Simplified SMS — Owners of some vessels under 7.5 metres will be eligible for a simplified SMS. You can use the online simplified SMS tool to find out if the simplified SMS applies to you.
  • Fatigue management — Vessel owners will need to identify and address the risk of master and crew fatigue in the vessel’s risk assessment. This does not apply to Class 4 vessels.
  • Drug and alcohol policy — Vessel owners will need to have a drug and alcohol policy in the vessel’s SMS to manage the risks associated with drug and alcohol use.
  • Cargo and dangerous goods — Vessels undertaking cargo operations, including the carriage of dangerous goods, will need to include a procedure in their SMS outlining how they manage the specific risks.
  • Key operational procedures to be covered in every SMS — Class 1, 2 and 3 vessel owners will need to have procedures covering the key vessel operations in their SMS, if relevant.
  • Vessel emergency plans — Loss of propulsion and oil or fuel spills will need to be covered in the vessel’s emergency plan, if relevant.
  • Master and designated person responsibility statement — The master’s responsibility and authority statement has been clarified to better outline their authority and there is now a requirement to set out a designated person’s responsibility statement. Different rules may apply to vessels eligible to operate under a simplified SMS in certain circumstances.
  • Assembly station requirements — Alternative assembly stations will only be required if reasonably practicable based on the vessel’s layout, characteristics and risk assessment. Different rules may apply to vessels eligible to operate under a simplified SMS.
  • Record of vessel modifications — Vessel owners will need to identify risks to vessel stability in the vessel’s risk assessment and maintain a record of vessel modifications impacting stability. This does not apply to Class 4 vessels and different rules may apply to vessels eligible to operate under a simplified SMS.

In-depth information, guidance and resources to help navigate and apply the following changes is available on the AMSA website here.

A range of guidance, tools and other resources are currently available to help implement the changes:

  • Online simplified SMS tool — use this simplified SMS tool to check if you are eligible for the simplified SMS.
  • Simplified SMS flowchart — download our printable flowchart to determine your eligibility for the simplified SMS.
  • Guidance for developing:
    • Fatigue risk management plan
    • Drug and alcohol policy
    • Dangerous goods procedure
    • Stability risk assessment and recording vessel modifications.

Note: Over coming months more resources to help develop and implement a simplified SMS will become available.

 What should people do to prepare? 

Stakeholders should take the time to understand the changes and use the guidance and tools provided to prepare.

They can start updating their SMSs to include new requirements for fatigue, drug and alcohol policies, dangerous goods, and emergency plans now.

However, the simplified SMS and the updated assembly station requirements cannot be implemented early.

Those eligible for a simplified SMS must keep following current Marine Order 504 requirements until 1 June 2025.

AMSA will be holding webinars from February 2025 on the following topics to help industry members understand the requirements under the new model. The topics include:

  • Fatigue management
  • Changes to safety management system requirements
  • Simplified SMS.

You can register for the webinars here.

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