Coastal Pilotage Requirement for Barrier Reef and Torres Strait

Posted on June 7, 2015 Updated on June 7, 2015

AMSA Issued a marine notice reminding vessel operators and Master on the coastal pilotage requirement for Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait. This marine notice replaces 04/2014

Coastal Pilotage
Vessel masters, owners and operators are reminded about the coastal pilotage requirements within the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait, as prescribed in Marine Orderl 54 (Coastal pilotage) 2014.
An AMSA-licensed coastal pilot is required for any vessel that navigates in a defined coastal pilotage area:
1. that is 70m or longer in length overall; or
2.that is a loaded:
A. oil tanker; or
B. chemical carrier; or
C. liquefied gas carrier
not including naval vessels.
Coastal pilotage areas are defined as:
1. Hydrographers Passage;
2. Inner Route;
3. Torres Strait;
4. Great North East Channel; and
5. Whitsundays.
It is important to note that the master of a vessel is not relieved of responsibility for the conduct and safe navigation of the vessel whilst the vessel is under pilotage.
Masters or owners may apply to AMSA for exemption from the pilotage requirements of the Navigation Act. An application must also be made to the Great Barrier Marine Park Authority to navigate without a licensed pilot in Hydrographers Passage, Inner Route and Whitsundays.

Coastal Pilotage Area Limits
Hydrographers Passage pilotage area means the area bounded by a line that progressively joins the following points:
Latitude         Longitude
1  20º 39.11′S    149º 49.36′E
2  20º 35.91′S    150º 07.36′E
3 20º 28.31′S   150º 18.06′E
4 20º 02.91′S   150º 03.06′E
5 19º 54.91′S   150º 16.56′E
6 19º 39.91′S   150º 10.56′E
7 19º 50.91′S   150º 33.06′E
8 20º 01.41′S   150º 25.86′E
9 20º 06.91′S   150º 17.26′E
10 20º 19.91′S  150º 27.06′E
11 20º 32.91′S  150º 27.06′E
12 20º 41.51′S  150º 11.66′E
13 20º 54.41′S 150º 01.96′E
14 20º 39.11′S 149º 49.36′E
Inner Route pilotage area means the waters bounded by:
i. the Australian mainland; and
ii. the outer eastern edge of the REEFREP reporting area3, and
iii. the northern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef Region (latitude 10º 41.00′S)4; and latitude 16º 39.91′S; and
iv. the Torres Strait, excluding the waters to the north of latitude 10º 28.00′S and east of longitude 142º 39.00′E.

Torres Strait means the waters bounded:
a. on the south by latitude 10º 41.00’S; and
b. on the east:
i.  for a ship moving eastward – by longitude 143º 22.00’E; or
ii. for any other vessel – by longitude 143º 24.00’E; and
c. on the north by the line of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); and
d. on the west:
i.  for a vessel of less than 8m draught – by longitude 142º 05.00’E; or
ii. for a vessel of 8m draught or more moving eastward – by longitude – 141º 50.00’E; or
iii. for a vessel of 8m draught or more moving westward – by longitude 141º 51.70’E.

Great North East Channel pilotage area means the area bounded by a line that progressively joins the following points:

    Latitude    Longitude
1 10º 41.0′S 141º 50.0′E
2 10º 28.0′S 141º 50.0′E
3 10º 28.0S′ 142º 27.0′E
4 10º 18.0′S 142º 48.0′E
5 9º 48.0′S 143º 08.0′E
6 9º 30.0′S 143º 24.0′E
7 9º 45.0′S 143º 24.0′E
8 10º 20.0′S 143º 00.0′E
9 10º 41.0′S 141º 50.0′E

Whitsundays pilotage area means the area bounded by a line that begins at the northernmost point of Cape Gloucester at low water, at about latitude 20º 03.94′S, longitude 148º 27.51′E, and continues progressively:
a. to the following points:
Latitude Longitude
1 19º 58.02′S 148º 18.60′E
2 19º 57.83′S 148º 18.53′E
3 19º 58.00′S 148º 21.68′E
4 19º 58.28′S 148º 27.05′E
5 19º 58.37′S 148º 27.40′E
6 19º 59.28′S 148º 33.62′E
7 20º 00.82′S 148º 37.48′E
8 20º 02.17′S 148º 53.07′E
9 20º 03.58′S 148º 57.92′E
10 20º 14.42′S 149º 10.47′E
11 20º 15.20′S 149º 11.15′E
12 20º 28.93′S 149º 08.03′E
13 20º 31.20′S 149º 09.07′E
14 20º 34.28′S 149º 10.50′E
15 20º 33.91′S 149º 07.06′E
16 20º 39.73′S 148º 45.82′E
b. west along parallel of latitude 20º 39.73′S to the coastline of the mainland at low water, near Midge Point; and
c. generally northerly, easterly, south-easterly and north-westerly along the coastline of the mainland at low water to the point where the boundary began.

CLICK HERE FOR MARINE NOTICE

Source: AMSA