At a meeting of the Australian transport ministers (ATC) on the 25th July '08 to discuss the modernisation of the national transport industries, it was agreed to recommend to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), due to meet in October '08, the establishment of a single national system of maritime safety regulation administered by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), subject to the outcomes of a regulatory impact assessment.
The problem
At present there are eight regulatory systems governing the operation of commercial vessels in Australian waters.
The Objectives
To achieve a maritime legislation in line with the modern concepts of risk and safety management, that would ensure consistency with international ship standards.
The Options under scrutiny
Option 1: Status Quo.
Option 2: Establish a national system administered by a new regulatory agency.
Option 3: Establish a single national system administered by AMSA.
The attached document is the
Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) for the maritime safety reform. | 
