Shipping

Pilotage

All ships that are 50m or more, proceeding within a Queensland pilotage area, must carry a licensed marine pilot or be under the command of a master who holds a pilotage exemption certificate for the area. The Transport Legislation (Port Pilotage and Document Verification) Amendment Act 2013 makes legislative amendments to transfer the responsibility for pilotage services from Maritime Safety Queensland to port authorities designated as responsible pilotage entities for compulsory pilotage areas, except in Brisbane, Southport and Abbot Point, effective from 2 November 2013.

• There are defined areas for various shipping-related activities. These include:
  • Pilotage areas
  • Compulsory pilotage areas
  • Port limits.
• Pilotage fees
  Find pilotage costs for ports in Queensland.
  • Fee calculator for pilotage and conservancy
    Fee calculator to enable shippers and agents to identify fees associated with shipping movements in Queensland pilotage areas.
• Continuing professional development for Queensland port pilots
  Maritime Safety Queensland has implemented a Continuing Professional Development framework, to enhance the knowledge and skills of Queensland port pilots and to provide a practical avenue for enhancing the competence of port pilots and for the renewal of port pilot licences.

Ship movements, plans and procedures

• Regions—find out more about shipping in these regions:
  • Cairns
  • Gladstone
  • Mackay
  • Townsville
• Passage plans for Queensland ports
• Port procedures
  Port procedures manuals outline the procedures to be followed in each port in Queensland.
• Establishing safe engine configuration for pilotage 
• Shipping movements in Queensland
  View information about current shipping movements in Queensland ports—ships in a particular port, movements in the port yesterday, today and tomorrow, and monthly statistics on shipping activities.
• Ship navigation areas
  Interaction between large ships and small craft is rapidly increasing in Queensland coastal waters. Skippers of small vessels should, where possible, keep clear of ship navigation areas such as:
  • major shipping routes
  • pilot boarding grounds
  • anchorages
  • channels
  • swing basins
  • berths.

Vessel traffic services

• Vessel traffic services
  Vessel traffic services (VTS) are recognised internationally as an aid for safe and efficient movement of vessels. Maritime Safety Queensland is the VTS Authority for VTS in Queensland.
• REEFVTS
  REEFVTS is a 24-hour coastal vessel traffic service which has been put in place by the Australian and Queensland Governments to improve navigational safety and minimise the risk of a maritime accident in the Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef areas.