Publication:Sea Talk Autumn 2005/Seafarers' Handbook launched

ByLCDR John Sperring Public Affairs Officer, Hydrographic Force Element Group

For mariners, negotiating the shoals of federal and state regulations that abound in Australian territorial waters became easier with the launch of the Australian Seafarers Handbook by the Hydrographer of Australia, CAPT Bruce Kafer.

The launch took place at the Australian Hydrographic Office in Wollongong in the presence of Maritime Commander RADM Rowan Moffitt and representatives of maritime-related agencies and publications.

The handbook provides mariners with a description of the Australian physical and jurisdictional marine environment and combines information from various government agencies under the cover of one official nautical publication kept up-to-date by Australian Notices to Mariners.

It complements the Australian Navigational Chart series and contains much information that cannot be shown on charts.

Topics covered include:

• National description - background for international seafarers;
• Maritime organisations and agencies - roles, responsibilities and contact details for the main national and state government agencies the mariner may encounter;
• Maritime boundaries - describes Australia's jurisdiction boundaries;
• Seas, oceans and seabed - a brief description of the regional physical maritime environment;
• Climate - an overview of the regional maritime climatic environment, highlighting dangers specific to each region;
• Marine environmental protection - descriptions of the marine protected areas, regulations and responsible agencies, highlighting the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Antarctica;
• Legislation - a brief description of the major Australian legislation and regulations, and the responsible government agency;
• Navigation - buoyage, navigation aids, coastal pilotage, Torres Strait and GBR shipping routes, accident and incident reporting;
• Maritime safety - safety information, meteorological broadcasts, warnings, and search and rescue;
• Ship reporting systems - AUSREP and REEFREP;
• Ship operations - maritime security, customs, quarantine, immigration and military information;
• Ports - description of Australian trading ports and responsible agencies; and
• Charts and publications - Australian area of charting responsibility, Australian Hydrographic Office products and chart accuracy information.

"The handbook will not only enhance navigation safety but will also reduce the risk of accidentally transgressing the many federal and state regulations that apply in our waters," CAPT Kafer said.

The publication has been issued to all RAN Fleet units and is available from product distributors listed at www.hydro.gov.au.