The North-East Shipping Management Group has conducted the first meeting of its recently established working group for water space management issues, focusing on the safety of shipping and the efficient coordination of maritime activities.

 

The group’s meeting was particularly focused on facilitating safe and efficient use of water space within the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait and the Coral Sea.

 

Attendees at the first meeting included representatives from the Australian Hydrographic Office, MSQ, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, Shipping Australia, Queensland Ports, and the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

 

The working group addressed an initial list of issues, which included amendments to the existing Two-Way route north from Lucinda and proposals for ship routing measures south of Lucinda; port, pilot and security limits; pilot boarding places; port anchorages; port and coastal VTS interactions; and clarifying the depiction on navigational charts of marine reserve and designated shipping area limits. Working group participants will be progressing a list of action items over the coming months.

 

The working group will report its progress to the next meeting of the North-East Shipping Management Group, and then hold a further meeting in early November.