Public feedback sought on changes to vessel structural standards

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is seeking public feedback on the proposed changes to Marine Order 12 (Construction – subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations) (MO12).

MO12 relates to the prescribed international standards for the structure, subdivision, stability, machinery, and electrical installations of regulated Australian vessels (RAVs) and foreign vessels.

The proposed changes include:

• Adding new requirements to have ship specific towing and mooring arrangements plans and keep them on board for master’s reference
• Introducing new requirements for regulated Australian vessels (RAVs) under 24 metres in length constructed on or after January 1, 2024 for watertight and weathertight integrities to comply with NSCV standards
• Updating referencing to provisions under regulation 13 of SOLAS chapter II-1 amended by resolution MSC.474(102) applied to openings in watertight bulkheads
• Restructuring and formatting to reflect current drafting style and updating the definitions as appropriate

Consultation on MO12 is now open. The public is invited to provide feedback until September 10, 2023.

Read more about the proposed changes to MO12 here.