The check pilot system was ineffective in providing the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) assurance of the competency of coastal pilots, mainly due to the inconsistent and unreliable application of assessment standards between different check pilots. Further, AMSA had not implemented a system to identify the inconsistent application of standards or the trends in assessment outcomes readily apparent in the data that it had held for many years.
Response by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority
On 25 June 2024, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) advised the ATSB that it would seek to improve the current check pilot system in its next review of Marine Order 54. In the short‑term, AMSA intended to develop and implement a new proficiency assessment for use by check pilots and competency-based requirements and assessment to become a check pilot.
ATSB comment
The ATSB acknowledges the safety actions proposed by AMSA, which have the potential to adequately address this safety issue. However, the ATSB remains concerned about the indefinite nature of the advised action, including the absence of a timeline. Accordingly, the ATSB issues the following safety recommendation.
To be advised
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommends that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority takes safety action to identify and address factors limiting the effectiveness of its check pilot framework as a system for coastal pilot competency assurance.
