Submit Vessel Incident Reports

Introduction

If a boating accident occurs in any port or navigable water in NSW, the master of the vessel must:

• stop the vessel immediately
• give assistance if required
• produce any applicable licence
• give details (including the master's name and address and any vessel distinguishing numbers) to any person having reasonable grounds to request them.

Reporting procedures and requirements after the incident are different for:

• recreational vessels
• domestic commercial vessels.

What you need

• the time, place and nature of the accident
• the name and registration number of the vessels involved in the accident (if available)
• the name and address of every person who was concerned with, or witnessed, the accident (if available)
• the details of any injury or damage resulting from the accident
• your boat driver's licence or Certificate of Competency details
• the Vessel Incident Report form (recreational vessels) or Domestic Commercial Vessel Incident Report form (commercial vessels)
• your written report if applicable.

How to submit

Recreational vessels

1. Download and complete Vessel Incident Report – PDF.
2. Attach any additional documentation.
3. Post or email your report to the details on the form.
    

Domestic commercial vessels

1. Complete the online form Domestic Commercial Vessel Incident Report.
2. Follow the prompts to submit your report.

More information

Recreational Vessels

• If the incident has resulted in death or injury, or damage in excess of $5000 to a vessel or any other property, the report must be forwarded to Transport for NSW (TfNSW) within 24 hours, unless the particulars have already been given to a TfNSW officer.
• Penalties apply for not reporting an incident to TfNSW.

Domestic Commercial Vessels

• Where an incident has resulted in the death or serious injury of a person, the loss or significant damage of a vessel, or the loss of a person from the vessel, the owner and/or master must give an incident alert to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) delegate, within 4 hours of becoming aware of the incident.
  Note: The AMSA delegate for NSW is TfNSW.
• In any case, an incident report must be submitted by the master and/or owner to the AMSA delegate, TfNSW, within 72 hours of their becoming aware of the incident.
• Penalties apply for not reporting an incident to the NSW delegate of AMSA, TfNSW.

To make sure that you have all the information and documentation you need to complete this transaction, please visit Maritime incident reporting.