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ATSB Safety Issue Investigation: Queensland Coastal Pilotage

About the ATSB

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is an independent Australian Government statutory agency. The Bureau is governed by a commission and is entirely separate from transport regulators and service providers. The ATSBs objective is safe transport and its function is to improve safety and public confidence in transport safety through excellence in safety investigations and research and

promulgating the lessons learned, safety actions and safety messages. It is not the purpose of ATSB investigations to apportion blame or provide a means for determining liability. The ATSB performs its functions in accordance with the provisions of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (TSI Act) and Regulations.

The Safety Issue Investigation

Background: In December 2010, following the completion of ATSB investigation MO-2009-001 into the grounding of the laden tanker Atlantic Blue in the Torres Strait in 2009, the ATSB initiated a safety issue investigation into Queensland's coastal pilotage operations. The findings of MO-2009-001 and two previous groundings in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) since 1999 where a coastal pilot had conduct of the ship and numerous reports from coastal pilots about safety concerns indicate that significant safety issues may exist in coastal pilotage.

Reason and objective: The significant amount of cargo traded through ports along Australia's east coast makes shipping vital for the local and national economies. Coastal pilotage is the most important defence in place to reduce the risk of a shipping incident in the particularly sensitive GBR environment. Therefore, the safest possible coastal pilotage operations will benefit all industry stakeholders. A broad, systemic, ATSB safety issue investigation could identify issues that can make this objective more likely and improve safety and public confidence.

Scope: The investigation will focus on the safety management of pilotage operations, particularly the piloting procedures and practices of coastal pilots, including related motivational factors. Specific areas of existing safety management systems to be looked at will include pilot training and professional development, passage planning, standard piloting procedures, incident reporting, collision avoidance and the management of pilots' working hours. The investigation will also examine the effectiveness of the coastal pilotage regulations, the pilotage safety management code and the pilot assessment system in supporting safe and efficient pilotage operations.

The investigation will not focus on different models for the provision of pilotage services, commercial aspects not directly related to safety issues or analyse the costs or benefits of addressing safety issues that may be identified.

Investigation process: All investigation activities will be carried out under the provisions of the TSI Act which include the protection of certain information (restricted information). The ATSB will take into account various past reviews into coastal pilotage and collect information from licensed coastal pilots, stakeholders and interested parties. This will include a survey of all pilots, inviting submissions

from stakeholders and accepting submissions from other interested parties. A number of meetings will also be arranged with key stakeholders, coastal pilots and interested parties. Based on the evidence collected, a draft investigation report will be prepared and provided to relevant parties for comment. All comments received will be considered in finalising the investigation report and its findings.

Information and communication

Further information is available via the ATSB website and the links provided below:

Investigation MO-2009-001: Grounding of Atlantic Blue

Investigation MI-2010-011: Safety Issue-Queensland Coastal Pilotage



The coastal pilot survey form will be provided to coastal pilots for completion. Others can request a copy of the survey form if necessary.



ATSB Safety Issue Investigation: Queensland Coastal Pilotage

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has written to the organisations listed in this document, requesting them to make submissions with respect to this safety issue investigation. Members and associates of these organisations are welcome to make submissions directly. The ATSB will also accept submissions from any other interested parties, including coastal pilots or pilot groups.

All submissions should be made in writing and received at the address below by the close of business on Friday, 28 January 2011.



Stakeholders and interested parties

  • Australian Maritime Safety Authority
  • Australasian Marine Pilots Institute
  • Australian Reef Pilots Pty Limited
  • Australian Shipowners Association
  • ANL Container Lines
  • ASP Ship Management Limited
  • BP Australia Ltd
  • Department of Transport and Infrastructure
  • Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait Vessel Traffic Service
  • Great Barrier Reef Helicopter Group
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
  • Hydro Pilots Australia Pty Limited
  • International Maritime Pilots Association
  • Mackay Helicopters
  • Maritime Safety Queensland
  • Minerals Council of Australia
  • National Bulk Commodities Group
  • Perkins Shipping Pty Limited
  • Ports Australia
  • P&O Maritime Services
  • Queensland Alumina Limited
  • Queensland Sugar Limited
  • Rio Tinto Shipping Pty Limited
  • Shell Tankers Australia Pty Limited
  • Shipping Australia Limited
  • Teekay Shipping (Australia) Pty Limited
  • The Nautical Institute
  • Torres Pilots Pty Limited
  • Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef Pilots Limited - Sea Torres and Reef Pilots
  • Whitsunday Helicopters

 

The ATSB can be contacted at:

Australian Transport Safety Bureau

Manager, Surface Safety-Canberra

PO Box 967

Civic Square ACT 2608

Email: marine@atsb.gov.au

Telephone: (02) 6274 7033 (Manager, Surface Safety-Canberra)