Australian Government

Australian Maritime Safety Authority

MASTREP and Australian

Mandatory Reporting Guide
1st Edition July 2013

MASTREP Ship Reporting for the Australian Area

The Modernised Australian Ship Tracking and Reporting System (MASTREP) as described in Marine Order 63
(MASTREP) 2013, effective 1 July 2013, is used to track the location of vessels. Under this system:
• positional reporting for vessels is sourced from the vessel’s Automatic Identification System (AIS);
• Sailing Plans, Deviation Reports and Final Reports are not required;
• communications with vessels continue to be available through Inmarsat, HF, satellite telephony and other means;
• Special Reports are required to support AMSA’s role in shipping oversight and incident reporting management.
MASTREP is operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) as part of the services offered by the Rescue
Coordination Centre (RCC Australia). RCC Australia is staffed 24 hours per day.

Benefits of MASTREP
MASTREP is designed to minimise the reporting requirements on vessels using International Marine Organization (IMO)
mandated AIS technology to provide positional advice to AMSA. It:
• increases the timeliness and accuracy of data collected from a much larger number of vessels plying the waters
within the Australian Search and Rescue Region (SRR);
• provides AMSA with the capability to significantly improve its pollution, marine casualty and search and rescue (SAR)
incident responses through faster and more effective management of incidents and resources;
• ensures that only the closest vessels will be requested to assist in a SAR incident reducing the need for vessels to
steam long distances from their intended voyage plan.

MASTREP Coverage Area

80o 100o 120o 140o 160o
The area of coverage is identical for both MASTREP
and the SRR. Coordinates of this area are:
The coast of the Antarctic continent in longitude 75°E 0o
Papua
thence: Indonesia New Guinea

6°00’S 75°00’E 9°37’S 141°01’06”E

2°00’S 78°00’E 9°08’S 143°53’E
2°00’S 92°00’E 9°24’S 144°13’E 20o

12°00’S 107°00’E 12°00’S 144°00’E

12°00’S 123°20’E 12°00’S 155°00’E
9°20’S 126°50’E 14°00’S 155°00’E
7°00’S 135°00’E 14°00’S 161°15’E 40o

9°50’S 139°40’E 17°40’S 163°00’E

New Zealand
9°50’S 141°00’E thence to the coast of the
Antarctic continent in
longitude 163° 00’E 60o

Antarctica

AMSA 91 (7/13)
Transmitting Position Reports
MASTREP uses Position Reports, which must be transmitted by AIS in accordance with the International Convention for
the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), Chapter 5, Regulation 19.2.4. Position Reports must include the following information:
i. identity;
ii. type;
iii. position;
iv. course;
v. speed;
vi. navigational status;
vii. safety related information.
The Master of a vessel must report any malfunction of the vessel’s AIS equipment to RCC Australia in accordance with
Section 186 of the Navigation Act 2012.

Australian Mandatory Reporting Requirements

MASTREP Reporting
MO 63 makes the provision of Position Reports mandatory for:
• foreign vessels from the arrival at its first port in Australia until its departure from its final port in Australia; and
• all regulated Australian vessels whilst in the MASTREP area.
Domestic commercial vessels fitted with Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and AIS technology are
also encouraged to participate in the system as MASTREP assists AMSA in carrying out SAR activities.

Marine Incident Reporting

All Marine Incidents are to be reported to AMSA using form ‘AMSA 18’ and form ‘AMSA 19’. Copies of these forms can
be obtained from the AMSA website www.amsa.gov.au. Examples of incidents include the loss, death or serious injury of
a person, the loss of or damage to a vessel, equipment failure, a collision or a pollution event. Reports should be made
in accordance to the requirements of the Navigation Act 2012, Marine Orders, and the Occupational Health and Safety
(Maritime Industry) Act 1993, as applicable.

Non-Mandatory Reporting
Masters wishing to send information to RCC Australia or the Maritime Assistance Service, other than that which is
mandated to be reported under the relevant legislation identified in the Marine Incident Reporting section, should
complete an Information Report using the standard international ship reporting format as set out IMO Resolution A.851
(20)*. Examples of non-mandatory reports include notification of navigational hazards, vessel defects or deficiencies, or
other limitations which could adversely affect navigation.

Special Report Types

Special Report Types include those for Dangerous Goods (DG), Harmful Substances (HS), and Marine Pollutants (MP).
Special Reports should follow the guidelines for reporting as set out in IMO Resolution A.851 (20), as amended by IMO
Resolution MEPC.138 (53)* as amended from time to time. See Table 1 on page 4 for report format requirements.

Further Information
Further information or advice on MASTREP and Australian mandatory reporting procedures,
including copies of this guide, are available free of charge from:
• Australian Maritime Safety Authority (RCC Australia)
Telephone: (02) 6230 6880 (International +61 2 6230 6880)
Facsimile: (02) 6230 6868 (International +61 2 6230 6880)
Postal Address: GPO Box 2181 Canberra City ACT 2601 Australia
• AMSA offices in major ports. See www.amsa.gov.au
• AMSA website: www.amsa.gov.au

*As amended from time to time

2
 Australian Mandatory Reporting Requirements

Fitting and
Operation of AIS
The master of the vessel must ensure the AIS is
operated in accordance with Regulation 19.2.4 of
Chapter V of SOLAS.
For INMARSAT Communications
Are you in the Vessels participating in MASTREP may log in and use
MASTREP Area? LES codes 312 for IOR and 212 for POR. Masters are
requested to use SAC 1243 for messages.

Yes No

Do you need to Are you an Reporting

report a marine Yes Australian No to AMSA is
incident?1 flagged vessel? not required2

Yes No

Are you
required to submit
Refer to reporting requirements Special Reports in No further
for an owner and master in accordance with No action is
Section 185 and 186 of the IMO Resolution required
Navigation Act 2012 and
A.851 (20)*?
Marine Order 31 (Ship surveys
and Certification) 2006.
Visit: Yes
www.amsa.gov.au/Shipping_
Safety/Incident_Reporting/

Dangerous Harmful Marine

Goods Substances Pollutants

Follow the guidelines for reporting incidents involving

dangerous goods, harmful substances and/or marine 1
What constitutes a marine incident is
pollutants as set out in IMO Resolution A.851 (20), as prescribed in subsection 14(1) of the
amended by IMO Resolution MEPC.138 (53)*. Navigation Act 2012
Visit: www.amsa.gov.au/Shipping_Safety/Incident_ 2
Additional Flag or Coastal State reporting
Reporting/MARPOL73_78_Reporting.asp
requirements may apply

Non-Mandatory Reporting

Example of an Information Report4

Do you have
ID System Identifier and Message Type MASTREP/IR//
information you
want to submit to Yes
A Ship Name/Callsign/IMO Number A/HESPERUS/BDBD/8502458//
RCC Australia/
MAS3? B Date/Time of Event B/050200UTC//
C Position – Lat/Long C/3900S/14500E//
I Next Port of Destination and ETA (UTC) I/ADELAIDE/080200UTC//
X/SIGHTED SEMI-SUBMERGED
X Remarks
CONTAINER//
3
Maritime Assistance Service
4
Complete the Information Report using the standard international ship reporting format as set
out in IMO Resolution A.851 (20)*

*As amended from time to time

3
Table 1
DG HS MP
Message Format Fields
Report Report Report
A Ship Name/Callsign/IMO number
B Date/time of position
C Position
E Course
F Speed
L Route
M Coast Radio Stations monitored/Inmarsat numbers
N Nominated daily reporting time
P2 UN number or numbers
P P4 Names of manufacturers of goods/substances, if appropriate, when known, or
consignee or consignor.
P1 Correct technical name or names of goods
P3 IMO hazard class or classes
P5 Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank or
P tank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unit
containing packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to
the unit.
P6 An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods
P1 Type of oil or the correct technical name of the noxious liquid substances on board
P P3 Pollution category (A, B, C or D), for noxious liquid substances
P5 Quantity
Q1 An assessment of the defects and damage
Q
Q2 The ability of the ship to transfer cargo and ballast or fuel
R2 UN number or numbers
R R4 Names of manufacturers of goods/substances, if appropriate, where they are
known, or consignee or consignor
R1 Correct technical name or names of goods
R3 IMO hazard class or classes
R5 Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank or
tank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unit
containing packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to
R the unit.
R6 An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods
R7 Whether lost goods floated or sank
R8 Whether loss is continuing
R9 Cause of loss
R1 Type of oil or the correct technical name of the noxious liquid discharged into the
sea
R3 Pollution category (A, B, C or D), for noxious liquid substances
R5 An estimate of the quantity of the substances
R6 Whether lost substances floated or sank
R
R7 Whether loss is continuing
R8 Cause of loss
R9 Estimate of movement of the discharge or lost substances, giving current
conditions if known
R10 Estimate of the surface area of the spill if possible
S Prevailing weather conditions
Name, address, telephone number and email address (if applicable) of the ship’s owner
T
and representative (charterer, manager or operator of the ship or their agent)
U Ship size and type. Details of length, breadth, tonnage etc.
X1 Action being taken with regard to the discharge and the movement of the ship
X2 Assistance or salvage efforts which have been requested or which have been
X provided by others
X3 The Master of an assisting or salvaging ship should report the particulars of the
action undertaken or planned