How do I get my boat “in survey”?
If you plan to operate a vessel commercially, you’ll need to have a certificate of Survey showing the boat meets specific standards. Engaging with Maritime Survey Australia is the best way of navigating the process and getting your boat ‘in survey’.
Maritime Survey Australia will ensure the correct standards are met – and where applicable, can give advice on vessel selection. Our Marine Surveyors use their expert knowledge of the National Standards for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) and other applicable standards to deliver the best outcomes for achieving and maintaining a Certificate of Survey.
In the first instance, contact us for more information. Based on what you intend to do with the vessel, one of our AMSA Accredited Marine Surveyors can help you first determine which class you can operate in.
You will need to submit the applicable information and drawings for your vessel. This will enable Maritime Survey Australia to complete an accurate quote. If you do not have enough information for an accurate quote to be made, we are able to complete a gap analysis survey to determine the requirements.
Performing a Gap Analysis
Most recreational vessels are not constructed to commercial standards, therefore this may make the process onerous. In order to find out where the shortcomings are, a gap analysis survey can be completed.
Because a vessel is required to be built to the National Standards for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) or other referenced standards, a gap analysis survey will give you enough information to make an informed decision about whether the vessel can be considered commercial. If you are building a vessel, there is no need to complete any gap analysis. Once the vessel’s drawings are submitted to us, we can complete an accurate quote and begin the process.
Initial Surveys
For an Initial Survey, Maritime Survey Australia will outline all the requirements that the vessel is required to comply with. You will then be able to make the necessary arrangements – for example, slipping the vessel or engaging with a designer if required.
Once Maritime Survey Australia has completed the initial survey application with AMSA, AMSA will then issue “survey codes”. Survey codes are a list of surveys to be completed and may include:
- Plan Approval Survey
- Initial Electrical Survey
- Initial Hull Structure Survey
- Engineering Survey
- Fuel Tank Survey
- Initial Lightship Check or Inclining Survey
- Watertight and Weathertight Integrity Survey
- Fire and Fit-out Survey
- Stability Assessment
- Load line Survey
- Compass Adjustment
- Commissioning Survey
Following the construction and electrical plan approval, a Maritime Survey Australia marine surveyor will then inspect the vessel construction at various intervals to ensure that the vessel is compliant to the applicable standard. The amount of inspections will depend on the complexity of the vessel.
A safety management system is also required to be submitted in order to receive a certificate of operation. Maritime Survey Australia can assist with this.
Once all of the applicable surveys have been completed and lodged with AMSA, a certificate of survey will then be issued.
