Australia – AMSA Marine Notice regarding refusal of access to Australian ports 13 March 2015 No.718 Download PDF (247KB) The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued Marine Notice 03/2015 for ensuring safety of a vessel with regard to the measures which should be taken by AMSA to a vessel approaching or entering Australian waters.   The Notice is to set out AMSA’s approach to the enforcement of the measures given under section 246 of the Navigation Act 2012 (the Act).  The Act gives AMSA the power to direct a vessel; not to enter any ports in Australia or its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to comply with specified requirements while it is entering or leaving any ports in Australia or its EEZ   The Act does not specify a minimum or maximum period of refusal to access or details of specified requirements which should be complied with, and AMSA will make those decisions based on the facts and circumstances of each case.  In support of the decision making process, AMSA has published the said Marine Notice 03/2015 which provides the guidelines as to how AMSA will generally approach to exercise its power.   [Refusal of vessel’s entry] AMSA will apply the following general principles when they consider refusal of access to Australian ports where a vessel has a poor Port State Control (PSC) record or there are concerns about the vessel’s management/operation.   Refusal of access for 3 months where a vessel is detained and released with conditions to carry out corrective actions, but returns to Australia without rectifying deficiency, or where a vessel is detained three times in two year period.   Refusal of access for 12 months where a vessel has been previously issued a direction prohibiting entry, and subsequently detained within two years of the expiry of a previous ban.   Refusal of access for 24 months where a vessel has been previously issued two directions prohibiting entry, and subsequently detained within two yea