Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

[Index] [Search] [Download] [Related Items] [Help]


SHIPS (CAPITAL GRANTS) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT) 1991 NO. 53

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

STATUTORY RULES 1991 No. 53

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Shipping and Aviation Support

Subject - Ships (Capital Grants) Act 1287

Ships (Capital Grants) Regulations (Amendment)

Section 42 of the Ships (Capital Grants) Act 1987 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations for the purposes of the Act.

The Act is intended to provide an incentive in the form of taxable grants for the introduction of more efficient ships into the Australian shipping industry. To be eligible for a grant a ship must comply with certain crew levels specified in the Act which are prescribed according to the category of ship. The Act provides for regulations to create categories where proposed ships do not fit the existing categories.

The regulations make categories for the following ships with specified maximum crew numbers which have been assessed by the Department of Transport and Communications to be safe and efficient for the operations of these ships:

(1)       a category for the SeaCat Tasmania, the high speed wave piercing catamaran to cover voyages across Bass Strait, and on voyages between places in Australia, without passengers or vehicles, for the purpose of repairs and maintenance or for the promotion of services offered by this ship, with a maximum crew of 17,

(2)       a category for the small general cargo ships, Frank Konecny and Gordon Reid, to be operated with a maximum crew of 11,

(3)       a category for the Searoad Mersey, ANL's new ro-ro ship to operate across Bass Strait with a maximum crew of 14.

In the absence of additional categories, the maximum crew level of 21 prescribed in the Act would apply to these ships. Due to their size, design, operational requirements and work practices it is not consistent with the intention of the Act for these ships to operate with crews of that size.


[Index] [Related Items] [Search] [Download] [Help]