Australian Maritime Safety Authority
On 22 June 2018, the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (the Authority) made an Order under the Navigation Act 2012 that provides for the certification of vessels that carry livestock and specifies requirements for the carriage and stowage of livestock.
The Order makes provision for improvements to effluent drainage arrangements from livestock spaces, improvements in minimum structural fire protection standards, amendments to declarations for bulk fodder, and the introduction of requirements for emptying fodder tanks. It also makes provision for improved ventilation of open decks, visual and audible alarms on the bridge, the removal of the two-tier pen option, maximum rail spacing and maximum top rail height for cattle, maximum rail spacing for sheep on open decks, the clarification of reportable levels and information required for livestock mortalities, as well as the introduction of requirements for the carriage of camels.
The Order will apply to all existing and new vessels applying for an Australian certificate for the carriage of livestock and loading livestock at an Australian port.
The Order includes provisions giving effect to the Government’s response to the recommendations of the McCarthy Review into the export of sheep to the Middle East during the northern hemisphere summer, in relation to accelerating the phase-out of transitional arrangements in place for older vessels. The Prime Minister granted an exemption from the Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) requirements because urgent and unforeseen events arose requiring a decision before a RIS could be prepared. Consistent with the Australian Government’s RIS requirements, a post implementation review must be completed within 2 years of implementation of the Order.
The change in regulatory cost burden has been estimated at $754, 951 per annum.