A new compliance plan for 2026-2027 has been published by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The plan outlines AMSA’s priority compliance activities from 01 July 2026.
“The plan helps industry and our compliance partners understand the areas AMSA will focus on during the year. These priorities are informed by inspection data, marine incident trends, investigations, audits, search and rescue activity, subject matter expert input and ongoing compliance monitoring,” AMSA said in a statement.
Key compliance
Key compliance work will focus on maritime safety, seafarer welfare and environmental protections, AMSA said, adding that a “key feature” of this’ year’s plan includes a dedicated inspection programme under the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993.
Compliance activities will include education (through a range of activities and channels), inspections, and compliance checks.
AMSA commented that risk-based targeting “remains critical”, noting that it carried out 2,768 port state control inspections of overseas flagged vessels and that it is targeting a minimum of 2,400 inspections in the coming year. About 70% of those inspections will be in the two highest risk categories.
The Authority added that AMSA will participate in Tokyo and Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding Concentrated Inspection Campaigns by incorporating CIC checks into routine Port State Control inspections during the period 01 September to 30 November this year. Inspections will focus on cargo securing, stowage practices, navigational safety, and pollution prevention.
Exhaust gases
Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems are described as presenting an environmental risk and that such systems are “increasingly used” as an alternative means of compliance with MARPOL Annex VI sulphur limits. “Concerns persist regarding washwater discharges, recordkeeping, system operation and maintenance practices. Reports received in several Australian ports have highlighted instances of significant discharges and poor management of EGCS residues, raising potential environmental and community concerns,” AMSA said.
Deficiencies have been identified relating to monitoring, recordkeeping, and confirmation that residues from closed loop systems are being appropriately retained on board. “AMSA has included EGCS as a focus area in the National Compliance Plan 2026 in accordance 27 to better understand the environmental risks associated with their operation, strengthen regulatory oversight, and build confidence in compliance controls,” the Authority said in a statement.
Maritime Labour Convention
AMSA has included crewing and fatigue on foreign-flagged vessels as a priority risk area owing to an established link between crewing, fatigue, and incidents. AMSA added that “global work underway at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO), including scoping discussions on fatigue, crewing, and hours of work and rest, further reinforces that fatigue risk remains a systemic international issue requiring continued regulatory attention”. PSC inspections will therefore focus on hors of work and rest, and there will be a collection of data during PSC inspections. In Quarter 3, AMSA intends to publish a Maritime Safety Awareness Bulletin on crewing and fatigue.
