Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation 2016
Marine Safety Regulation · Queensland waters.
The Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation 2016, the rules for boats in Queensland waters: safety equipment and lifejackets, licences and speed limits, current as at 1 February 2026. The full text, in English, from legislation.qld.gov.au. The version at the source is the one that counts. Queensland only: every Australian state has its own rules, in Local rules. Due to expire on 31 August 2027 under Queensland's staged repeal, when a new regulation takes its place.
Official text: legislation.qld.gov.au ›
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- Section 13 Safety equipment for ship, other than a personal watercraft or tender, operating in smooth waters
- Section 14 Safety equipment for ship, other than a personal watercraft or tender, operating in or beyond partially smooth waters
- Section 15 Safety equipment for a personal watercraft
- Section 22 What is the required lifejacket for a ship
- Section 24 When ship is taken to be equipped with required lifejacket
- Section 57 Required licence if s 58 does not apply
- Section 60 Operation of Queensland regulated ship by unlicensed person
- Section 81 Speed limit for ship, other than personal watercraft, operating in particular places
- Section 82 Speed limit for personal watercraft operating in particular places
- Section 83 Speed limit for ship if wash can cause marine incident or shoreline damage
- Section 199 Waterskiing
- Schedule 1 Coastal bars
Contents
Chapter 1 · Preliminary
- Section 1 Short title
- Section 2 Commencement
- Section 3 Definitions
- Section 4 Vessels that are not ships—Act, s 10
- Section 5 Measurement of position
- Section 6 References to length of ship
Chapter 2 · Safety equipment for Queensland regulated ships
- Part 1 General
- Part 2 EPIRB for particular Queensland regulated ships
- Section 9 Application of part
- Section 10 Ship to be equipped with EPIRB
- Part 3 Other safety equipment for particular Queensland regulated ships
- Section 11 Application of part
- Section 12 Lighting devices for signalling for ship on water at night
- Section 13 Safety equipment for ship, other than a personal watercraft or tender, operating in smooth waters
- Section 14 Safety equipment for ship, other than a personal watercraft or tender, operating in or beyond partially smooth waters
- Section 15 Safety equipment for a personal watercraft
- Section 16 Stowage and accessibility of safety equipment
- Part 4 Other safety equipment for particular tenders
- Section 17 Application of part
- Section 18 Lighting device for signalling for tender on water at night
- Section 19 Safety equipment for tender operating in smooth waters
- Section 20 Safety equipment for tender operating in or beyond partially smooth waters
- Part 5 Provisions about lifejackets for Queensland regulated ships
- Section 21 Application of part
- Section 22 What is the required lifejacket for a ship
- Section 23 Using custom-made lifejacket instead of required lifejacket
- Section 24 When ship is taken to be equipped with required lifejacket
- Part 6 Expiry date and service requirement for safety equipment
- Section 25 Expiry date and service requirement for particular safety equipment
Chapter 3 · Registration of Queensland regulated ships and related matters
- Part 1 Registration of Queensland regulated ships
- Section 26 Application of registration requirements—Act, s 54
- Section 27 Requirement to register
- Section 28 General power to register
- Section 29 New registration of prescribed other Queensland regulated ship
- Section 30 Statutory conditions of registration of other Queensland regulated ship
- Section 31 Imposition of conditions on registration of prescribed other Queensland regulated ship
- Section 32 Ship may not be registered without builders plate
- Section 33 Use of registered other Queensland regulated ship for private recreation
- Part 2 Register of registered Queensland regulated ships
- Section 34 Keeping register
- Section 35 Inspection of register
- Section 36 Release of ship-related information for particular purposes
- Part 3 Display of registration material on Queensland regulated ships
- Section 37 Registration number
- Section 39 Markings for particular tenders
- Part 4 Builders plates
- Division 1 Preliminary
- Section 40 Main purpose of part
- Section 41 Application of part
- Section 42 Variation of ABP Standard
- Division 2 Selling Queensland regulated ships without builders plate
- Section 43 Ship for sale must have builders plate
- Section 44 Defence relating to prescribed other Queensland regulated ships
- Section 45 Defence that plate already fixed
- Section 46 Defence if ship to be exported
- Section 47 Defence if ship for racing purposes
- Division 3 Requirements about builders plates
- Section 48 Application of division
- Section 49 Who may approve information on builders plate
- Section 50 Offence about approval of information on builders plate
- Section 51 Offence about fixing builders plates to ships
- Section 52 Builders plate not to be changed
- Division 1 Preliminary
- Part 5 Restricted use authorities for Queensland regulated ships
- Section 53 Granting a restricted use authority
- Section 54 Offences relating to restricted use authority
Chapter 4 · Licences to operate particular Queensland regulated ships
- Part 1 Licensing of masters and crew members
- Division 1 Application of licensing requirement
- Section 55 Ships to which pt 5, div 2 of the Act applies—Act, s 59A
- Division 2 Licensing requirement
- Section 56 Purpose of division
- Section 57 Required licence if s 58 does not apply
- Section 58 Required licence for particular ships
- Division 3 Licensing responsibilities of owners and masters
- Section 59 Ensuring master and crew members hold required licence
- Section 60 Operation of Queensland regulated ship by unlicensed person
- Division 4 Grant of licences
- Section 61 Chief executive or general manager may grant licence
- Section 62 Qualifying for recreational marine driver licence
- Section 63 Qualifying for personal watercraft licence
- Section 64 Examination of applicant for licence
- Division 5 Examining approvals and training program approvals
- Section 65 Grant of examining approval
- Section 66 Qualifying for examining approval
- Section 67 Grant of training program approval
- Section 68 Qualifying for training program approval
- Division 1 Application of licensing requirement
- Part 2 Licensing of pilots
- Section 69 Ships to which pt 5, div 3 of the Act applies—Act, s 61A
- Section 70 Required licence to have the conduct of a ship as its pilot
- Section 71 General manager may grant pilot licence
- Section 72 Qualifying for pilot licence
- Section 73 Examination of applicant for pilot licence
- Part 3 Temporary permits for prescribed other Queensland regulated ships
- Section 74 Application of part
- Section 75 General manager may grant temporary permit for master or crew member
Chapter 5 · Ship operations
- Part 1 Signals
- Section 76 Signals of distress—Act, s 206
- Section 77 Consent to use or display prescribed signal for training or demonstration
- Section 78 Prescribed signal and information—Act, s 129
- Part 2 Prevention of collisions
- Section 79 Application of collision regulations
- Section 80 Particular ships must use light while underway
- Part 3 Speed limits and other restrictions
- Section 81 Speed limit for ship, other than personal watercraft, operating in particular places
- Section 82 Speed limit for personal watercraft operating in particular places
- Section 83 Speed limit for ship if wash can cause marine incident or shoreline damage
- Section 84 Exception for ship operated at speed necessary for safety
- Section 85 Interfering with speed sign
- Section 86 Other restrictions for personal watercraft operating in particular places
- Part 4 Dangerous cargo
- Division 1 General duties
- Section 87 Duties of person sending dangerous cargo by ship
- Section 88 Duties of owner or master about dangerous cargo
- Division 2 Dangerous cargo codes
- Section 89 Application of dangerous cargo codes
- Division 3 General reporting requirements for ship with dangerous cargo
- Section 90 Reporting requirement for ship other than ship operated on local marine service
- Section 91 Reporting requirement for ship operated on local marine service
- Section 92 Time for giving report
- Division 4 Other reporting requirements
- Section 93 Reporting dangerous cargo event
- Section 94 General manager may require declaration about ship’s cargo
- Division 5 Loading restriction
- Section 95 Restriction on loading combination carrier
- Division 1 General duties
- Part 5 Other provisions
- Section 96 Operation of ship by enforcement officer
- Section 97 Application of pt 14, div 2 of the Act—Act, s 187
- Section 98 Start and end of particular business activities to be notified
Chapter 6 · Authorities, marine licences and marine licence indicators
- Part 1 Interpretation
- Section 99 Who is an administering agency
- Section 100 What is an authority
- Part 2 Authorities
- Division 1 How authority is obtained
- Section 101 Making application
- Section 102 Administering agency may request further information
- Section 103 Administering agency to decide application within 30 days
- Section 104 Temporary authority for registration of particular ships or pilot licence
- Section 105 Grant of authority on conditions
- Section 106 Term of authority
- Section 107 Issuing of document evidencing authority if application granted
- Section 108 Refusal of application
- Division 2 Renewal of authority
- Section 109 Application for renewal
- Section 110 Div 1 applies to application for renewal
- Division 3 Amendment of authority
- Section 111 Amendment at holder’s request
- Section 112 Amendment on administering agency’s initiative
- Section 113 When amendment takes effect
- Section 114 Document evidencing authority to be updated after amendment
- Division 4 Suspension or cancellation of authority and action after marine incident
- Section 115 Grounds for suspension or cancellation
- Section 116 Procedure for suspension or cancellation
- Section 117 Action by general manager after marine incident
- Section 118 Extension or ending of suspension or amendment after marine incident
- Section 119 Effect of suspension on renewal of authority
- Section 120 Document evidencing authority to be returned after suspension or cancellation
- Division 5 Other provisions about authorities
- Section 121 Holder to notify change of address
- Section 122 Keeping document evidencing authority
- Section 123 Defacing or changing document evidencing authority
- Section 124 Replacement of document evidencing authority
- Section 125 Surrender of authority
- Division 1 How authority is obtained
- Part 3 Marine licences and marine licence indicators
- Division 1 How marine licence or marine licence indicator is obtained
- Section 126 Making application
- Section 127 Administering agency to decide application within 30 days
- Section 128 Grant of marine licence on conditions
- Section 129 Term of marine licence and smartcard marine licence indicator
- Section 130 Giving of marine licence indicator if application granted
- Section 131 Codes on marine licence indicators
- Section 132 Refusal of application for marine licence or marine licence indicator
- Division 2 Renewal of smartcard marine licence indicator
- Section 133 Application for renewal
- Section 134 Application for renewal by electronic communication
- Section 135 Div 1 applies to application for renewal
- Division 3 Amendment of marine licence
- Section 136 Amendment at holder’s request
- Section 137 Amendment on administering agency’s initiative
- Section 138 When amendment takes effect
- Section 139 Marine licence indicator to be updated or replaced after amendment or correction
- Division 4 Suspension or cancellation of marine licence and action after marine incident
- Section 140 Grounds for suspension or cancellation
- Section 141 Procedure for suspension or cancellation
- Section 142 Action by general manager after marine incident
- Section 143 Extension or ending of suspension or amendment after marine incident
- Section 144 Smartcard marine licence indicator to be returned after cancellation of marine licence
- Division 5 Other provisions
- Section 145 Holder to notify change of name or address
- Section 146 Replacement label
- Section 147 Keeping marine licence indicator
- Section 148 Damaging or changing marine licence indicator
- Section 149 Administering agency may direct destruction of superseded marine licence indicator
- Section 150 Replacement of marine licence indicator
- Section 151 Surrender of marine licence
- Section 152 Only 1 marine licence of the same type to be held at the same time
- Section 153 Notifiable events under other Acts
- Section 154 Possessing another person’s smartcard marine licence indicator
- Section 155 Document purporting to be smartcard marine licence indicator
- Division 1 How marine licence or marine licence indicator is obtained
- Part 4 Other provisions
- Division 1 Particular provisions about restricted licences and licence disqualifications
- Section 156 Application for variation of restrictions—Act, s 202K
- Section 157 Notice about application for removal of disqualification—Act, s 202L
- Division 2 Transfer of Queensland regulated ship’s registration
- Section 158 Transfer of Queensland regulated ship’s registration
- Section 159 Particular provisions of part 2 apply to transfer of Queensland regulated ship’s registration
- Division 3 Issuing particular documents evidencing registration electronically
- Section 159A Document evidencing registration of Queensland regulated ship
- Division 1 Particular provisions about restricted licences and licence disqualifications
Chapter 7 · Pilotage areas, compulsory pilotage areas and pilots
- Part 1 Pilotage areas and compulsory pilotage areas
- Section 160 Declaration of pilotage areas and compulsory pilotage areas—Act, s 71(a)
- Section 161 Responsible pilotage entities for compulsory pilotage areas—Act, s 71A
- Section 162 Harbour masters for pilotage area
- Part 2 Pilots
- Section 163 Application of pt 8 of the Act—Act, s 98
- Section 164 Transfer of pilot to ship
- Section 165 Master to give pilotage charge to pilot
- Section 166 Pilotage exemption certificate
- Section 167 Pilots and fatigue management
- Part 3 Reporting obligations
- Division 1 General reporting obligations
- Section 168 Reporting movement of ship mentioned in s 163(1)
- Section 169 Reporting movement of ship 35m or more but less than 50m
- Division 2 Reporting ship movements to vessel traffic services
- Section 170 Application of division
- Section 171 Entering pilotage area
- Section 172 Navigating ship from berth or anchorage
- Section 173 Reaching destination
- Section 174 Ship entering pilotage area using services of a pilot
- Section 175 Ship navigating in pilotage area using services of a pilot
- Division 3 Other reporting obligation
- Section 176 Report requested by harbour master
- Division 1 General reporting obligations
Chapter 8 · Marine zones
- Section 177 Marine zones
- Section 178 Operating ship in marine zone in contravention of requirement
- Section 179 Proposal for marine zone
- Section 180 Consultation for marine zone
Chapter 9 · Other matters about marine safety
- Part 1 Exercise of particular powers by harbour masters
- Section 181 Approval of harbour master to exercise powers under this chapter
- Part 2 Buoy moorings
- Division 1 Establishing buoy mooring in Queensland waters other than Gold Coast waters
- Section 182 Buoy mooring category areas
- Section 183 Establishment of unauthorised buoy mooring
- Division 2 Establishing buoy mooring in Gold Coast waters
- Section 184 Buoy mooring category areas
- Section 185 Establishment of unauthorised buoy mooring
- Division 3 Approval of establishment of buoy mooring
- Section 186 Approval of establishment of buoy mooring
- Section 187 Limitations on buoy mooring approvals
- Section 188 Conditions of buoy mooring approvals
- Division 4 Other obligations about established buoy moorings
- Section 189 Notice of establishment of buoy mooring
- Section 190 Buoy mooring to display identifying number
- Section 191 Unlawful use of buoy mooring
- Section 192 Removal of buoy mooring on expiry, cancellation or surrender of approval
- Division 1 Establishing buoy mooring in Queensland waters other than Gold Coast waters
- Part 3 Carrying out directions given under this chapter
- Section 193 Issuing entity may carry out direction
- Section 194 Recovery by State of expenses of carrying out direction
- Part 4 Restrictions on anchoring or operating ships
- Section 195 Anchoring in particular places
- Section 196 Ship operations near particular structures
- Section 197 Ship operations or activities endangering marine safety
- Part 5 Other safety matters
- Section 198 Aquatic events
- Section 199 Waterskiing
Chapter 10 · Miscellaneous
- Part 1 Fees and charges, other than pilotage fees and conservancy dues
- Section 200 Fees and charges
- Section 201 Exemption or concession from registration fees
- Section 202 Refund of fees if application refused
- Section 203 Refund of fees if registration surrendered
- Section 204 Refund of criminal history fees for training program approval
- Section 205 Waiver of criminal history fee for training program approval
- Part 2 Pilotage fees and conservancy dues
- Division 1 Pilotage fees
- Section 206 Application of division
- Section 206A Fees for navigating ship in pilotage area using pilot
- Section 206B Fees for cancelling pilotage services
- Section 206C Fees for delaying pilotage services
- Section 207 Exemption from pilotage fee for removal of a ship that is part of arrival or departure
- Division 2 Conservancy dues
- Section 208 Conservancy dues
- Section 208A When conservancy dues are payable
- Section 209 Exemption for conservancy dues for ships arriving at a pilotage area for particular purposes
- Section 209A Exemption for conservancy dues for ships in Amrun pilotage area
- Division 3 General
- Section 210 Liability for pilotage fees and conservancy dues
- Section 210A Rounding of amounts expressed as numbers of fee units
- Division 1 Pilotage fees
- Part 3 Other provisions
- Section 211 Interfering with sign
- Section 212 Appointment of shipping inspectors
- Section 213 Where register of division 3 undertakings must be kept
Chapter 11 · Repeals and transitional provisions
- Part 1 Repeals
- Section 214 Repeals
- Part 2 Transitional provisions for SL No. 154 of 2016
- Division 1 Preliminary
- Section 215 Definitions for part
- Division 2 Provisions about authorities, marine licences and marine licence indicators
- Section 216 2004 authorities and marine licence indicators continued
- Section 217 Application relating to 2004 authority or marine licence indicator taken to be application under equivalent provision
- Section 218 Restricted use flag consent taken to be restricted use authority
- Section 219 Application for restricted use flag consent taken to be application for restricted use authority
- Section 220 Temporary pilot licence continues
- Section 221 Registration condition about maximum number of persons continues
- Section 222 Requirement to display registration certificate for particular ships continues
- Section 223 Particular requirements about changes relating to 2004 authority or marine licence indicator continue
- Division 3 Provisions about safety equipment
- Section 224 Registered EPIRB under 2004 regulation taken to have up-to-date registration
- Section 225 Personal flotation devices under 2004 regulation taken to be lifejackets
- Section 226 Statements about positive flotation taken to be statements about level flotation
- Section 227 Safety equipment requirement about life rafts continues
- Division 4 Other provisions
- Section 228 Requirement to keep particular documents about accreditation continues
- Section 229 Application of particular reporting requirements to matters arising before commencement
- Section 230 Gazette notices and written agreements about buoy moorings continue
- Section 231 Other gazette notices continue
- Section 232 Directions given under former ss 205, 208 or 215 continue
- Section 233 Entitlement to recover costs for action taken under former s 216 continues
- Section 234 Copy of former authorities may be given to person with interest in ship
- Section 235 References to 2004 regulation
- Division 1 Preliminary
- Part 3 Transitional provision for Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 2019
- Section 236 Application of s 222
- Part 4 Transitional provisions for Transport Legislation Amendment Regulation (No. 3) 2021
- Section 237 Definitions for part
- Section 238 Application of s 30 during transitional period
- Section 239 Application of s 32 during transitional period
- Section 240 Provision for particular offences during transitional period
Schedules
- Schedule 1 Coastal bars
- Schedule 2 Pilotage areas
- Section 1 Southport pilotage area
- Section 2 Brisbane pilotage area
- Section 3 Noosa pilotage area
- Section 4 Maryborough pilotage area
- Section 5 Bundaberg pilotage area
- Section 6 Gladstone pilotage area
- Section 7 Rockhampton pilotage area
- Section 8 Hay Point pilotage area
- Section 9 Mackay pilotage area
- Section 10 Whitsundays pilotage area
- Section 11 Bowen pilotage area
- Section 12 Abbot Point pilotage area
- Section 13 Townsville pilotage area
- Section 14 Lucinda pilotage area
- Section 15 Mourilyan pilotage area
- Section 16 Cairns pilotage area
- Section 17 Port Douglas pilotage area
- Section 18 Daintree River pilotage area
- Section 19 Cooktown pilotage area
- Section 20 Cape Flattery pilotage area
- Section 21 Thursday Island pilotage area
- Section 22 Skardon River pilotage area
- Section 23 Weipa pilotage area
- Section 23A Amrun pilotage area
- Section 24 Karumba pilotage area
- Schedule 3 Compulsory pilotage areas
- Section 1 Southport pilotage area
- Section 2 Brisbane pilotage area
- Section 3 Bundaberg pilotage area
- Section 4 Gladstone pilotage area
- Section 5 Rockhampton pilotage area
- Section 6 Hay Point pilotage area
- Section 7 Mackay pilotage area
- Section 8 Abbot Point pilotage area
- Section 9 Townsville pilotage area
- Section 10 Lucinda pilotage area
- Section 11 Mourilyan pilotage area
- Section 12 Cairns pilotage area
- Section 13 Cape Flattery pilotage area
- Section 14 Thursday Island pilotage area
- Section 15 Skardon River pilotage area
- Section 16 Weipa pilotage area
- Section 17 Amrun pilotage area
- Section 18 Karumba pilotage area
- Schedule 4 Responsible pilotage entities
- Schedule 5 Marine zones
- Schedule 5A Lake Wivenhoe Marine Zone and prohibited area
- Schedule 6 Fees, charges and dues
- Part 1 Fees and charges, other than pilotage fees and conservancy dues
- Division 1 Registration of ship
- Division 2 Restricted use authorities
- Division 3 Pilot licences and pilot exemption certificates
- Division 4 Buoy mooring approvals
- Division 5 Other authorities
- Division 6 Marine licences
- Division 7 Other fees
- Part 2 Pilotage fees
- Division 1 Fees for navigating ship in pilotage area using pilot
- Division 2 Fees for cancelling pilotage services
- Division 3 Fees for delaying pilotage services
- Part 3 Conservancy dues
- Part 1 Fees and charges, other than pilotage fees and conservancy dues
- Schedule 7 Partially smooth waters
- Section 1 Brisbane
- Section 2 Maryborough
- Section 3 Gladstone
- Section 4 Keppel Bay
- Section 5 Llewellyn Bay
- Section 6 Mackay and Hay Point
- Section 7 Sand Bay
- Section 8 St Helens Bay
- Section 9 Bowen, Whitsunday Passage and Repulse Bay
- Section 10 Upstart Bay
- Section 11 Townsville
- Section 12 Palm Islands
- Section 13 Rockingham Bay
- Section 14 Cairns
- Section 15 Port Douglas
- Section 16 Thursday Island
- Section 17 Weipa
- Section 18 Karumba
- Schedule 8 Smooth waters
- Section 1 Brisbane
- Section 2 Maryborough
- Section 3 Seventeen Seventy
- Section 4 Gladstone
- Section 5 Port Alma
- Section 6 Bowen
- Section 7 Lucinda
- Section 8 Mourilyan
- Section 9 Cairns
- Section 10 Port Douglas
- Section 11 Cooktown
- Section 12 Thursday Island
- Section 13 Weipa
- Section 14 Karumba
- Schedule 9 Dictionary
Based on content from the Queensland Legislation website at 26 October 2026. For the latest information on Queensland Government legislation please go to https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au. © The State of Queensland, licensed under CC BY 4.0.