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Shipping Registration Act 1981
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Administered by
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
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C2024C00673 (C21)
14 October 2024
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Part I—Preliminary
1 Short title
2 Commencement
3 Interpretation
3A Effect of closure or cancellation of registration
3B Approved forms
4 Repeal
5 Act binds the Crown
6 Application of Act
7 Act not to apply to Defence Force ships etc.
8 Australian owned ships
9 Ships on demise charter to Australian based operators
10 Determination of overall length and tonnage length of ship
11 Registration of property in ships
11A Collective agreement with the seafarers’ bargaining unit
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Part II—Registration of Ships
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Division 1—Registration
Subdivision A—Obligation to register Australian owned ships
12 Obligation to register Australian owned ships
13 Exemptions from registration
Subdivision B—The General Register
14 Ships that may be registered in the General Register
15 Application for registration in the General Register
Subdivision C—The International Register
15A Objects of the International Register
15B Ships that may be registered in the International Register
15C Application for registration in the International Register
15D Pre registration inspection
Subdivision D—Registration
15E Registration in the General Register
15F Registration in the International Register
16 Tonnage measurement of ship before registration
17 No multiple registrations
Division 2—Registration certificates
19 Grant of registration certificate
20 Custody of registration certificate
21 New certificates and provisional certificates
22 Provisional certificates for ships becoming entitled to be registered when abroad
22A Provisional certificates granted by the Registrar
22B Provisional registration certificates not to be issued in certain circumstances
23 Temporary passes
25 Use of improper certificate
Division 3—Identification
26 Marking of ship
27 Name of registered ship and change of name
28 Power of Minister to disallow name proposed for ship
Division 4—Nationality and national Colours
29 Certain ships to have Australian nationality
30 National colours and other flags
31 Declaration of ship’s nationality before clearance
32 Improperly assuming Australian nationality
33 Concealing Australian nationality
Division 5—Special provisions relating to the International Register
Subdivision A—Conditions of registration in the International Register
33A Conditions of registration in the International Register
Subdivision B—Cancellation of registration in the International Register
33B Cancellation of registration in the International Register
Subdivision C—Basis of registration in the International Register
33C Basis of registration in the International Register
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Part III—Transfers, transmissions, security interests and other dealings
34 Interpretation
36 Transfer of ship etc.
37 Transmission of ship etc. by operation of law
37A Delivery of registration certificate on transfer etc.
45 Powers of disposal by owner
46 Trusts not recognized
47 Equities not excluded
47A Caveat may be lodged forbidding registration of certain instruments
47B Notice of caveat
47C When caveat to lapse
47D No dealing to be registered while caveat in force
47E Compensation for lodging caveat without reasonable cause
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Part IV—Administration
48 Registrar and Deputy Registrars of Ships
49 Functions and powers of Registrar
50 Appointment of Registrar and Deputy Registrars
51 Acting Registrar and Deputy Registrars
52 Delegation by Minister
53 Delegation by Registrar
54 Registration Office
55 Seal of Registration Office and signature of Registrar
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Part V—The Registers
56 The Registers
57 Inspection of the Registers
58 Obsolete or incorrect entries in the Registers
59 Rectification of the Registers
59A Rectification of Personal Property Securities Register
60 Correction of clerical errors in the Registers
61 False entries in the Registers
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Part VA—Seafarers
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Division 1—Application of other laws to International Register ships
61AA Application of other laws to International Register ships
61AB When is a ship used to engage in international trading?
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Division 2—Work agreements
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Subdivision A—Application of this Division
61AC Application of this Division
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Subdivision B—Requirements that apply to work agreements
61AD Work agreement must comply with this Division
61AE Wages
61AF Paid annual leave
61AG Dispute resolution procedure
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Subdivision C—Effect of other agreements on the work agreement
61AH Effect of collective agreement with the seafarers’ bargaining unit
61AI Effect of other agreements
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Subdivision D—Enforcement of work agreement in relation to wages and annual leave
61AJ Wages to be paid
61AK Annual leave may be taken
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Division 3—Protection against victimisation of seafarers
61AL Protection against victimisation
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Division 4—Injury etc. of seafarers
61AM Compulsory insurance for death or long term disability
61AN Liability for medical attendance etc.
61AO Liability for wages of sick or injured seafarers
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Division 5—Enforcement of this Part
61AP Some provisions of the Navigation Act apply for enforcement of this Part
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Part VB—Enforcement
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Division 1—Civil penalty provisions
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Subdivision A—Obtaining a civil penalty order
61BA Civil penalty orders
61BB Civil enforcement of penalty
61BC Conduct contravening more than one civil penalty provision
61BD Multiple contraventions
61BE Proceedings may be heard together
61BF Civil evidence and procedure rules for civil penalty orders
61BG Contravening a civil penalty provision is not an offence
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Subdivision B—Civil proceedings and criminal proceedings
61BH Civil proceedings after criminal proceedings
61BI Criminal proceedings during civil proceedings
61BJ Criminal proceedings after civil proceedings
61BK Evidence given in civil proceedings not admissible in criminal proceedings
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Subdivision C—Miscellaneous
61BL Ancillary contravention of civil penalty provisions
61BM Mistake of fact
61BN State of mind
61BO Civil penalty provisions contravened by employees, agents or officers
61BP Continuing contraventions of civil penalty provisions
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Division 2—Infringement notices, voluntary enforceable undertakings and injunctions
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Subdivision A—Infringement notices
61BQ When an infringement notice may be given
61BR Matters to be included in an infringement notice
61BS Extension of time to pay amount
61BT Withdrawal of an infringement notice
61BU Effect of payment of amount
61BV Effect of this Division
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Subdivision B—Enforceable undertakings
61BW Acceptance of undertakings
61BX Enforcement of undertakings
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Subdivision C—Injunctions
61BY Grant of injunctions
61BZ Interim injunctions
61BZA Discharging or varying injunctions
61BZB Certain limits on granting injunctions not to apply
61BZC Other powers of a relevant court unaffected
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Division 3—Civil jurisdiction of courts
61BZD Civil jurisdiction of courts
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Part VI—Miscellaneous
62 Interpretation
63 Liabilities of ships not registered
64 Registered agent
65 Alterations to ships
66 Ships lost etc. or ceasing to be entitled to be registered
67 Power to inquire into ownership of registered ship
68 Unregistered ships not to leave Australia
69 Unregistered ships not to leave foreign ports
70 Proceedings on forfeiture
71 Detention of ships
72 Taking officers to sea
73 False statements etc.
74 Offences—general
75 Prosecution of offences
76 Joinder of charges and penalties for certain offences
77 Admissibility of documents in evidence
78 ART review of certain decisions
78A Internal review of certain decisions
79 Preservation of State and Territory legislation
80 References in other laws
81 Jurisdiction of Territory Supreme Courts
82 Appeals
83 Regulations
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Part VII—Transitional provisions
84 Interpretation
85 Additional operation of Part
86 Ships registered in Australia under previous law deemed registered under this Act
87 Transfer of registration from foreign ports of ships entitled to be registered
88 Instruments etc. made under previous law or corresponding foreign law continue in force
89 Applications under previous law
90 Certificates of registry may be recalled
91 Registers kept under previous law in Australia incorporated with Register
92 Verification of particulars—Registers kept under previous law etc.
93 Ships deemed to be registered to cease to be registered if not entitled to be registered
94 Registrar may defer registration etc.
95 Regulations for transitional purposes
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Endnotes
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Endnote 4—Amendment history