NSW Roads and Maritime Services is responsible for auditing moorings across NSW, aimed at improving mooring management and administration. They manage around 27,300 private and commercial moorings throughout the State.
Mooring apparatus failures can result in vessel becoming adrift and damaging other vessels or maritime infrastructure, and cause capsize and/or serious injury to passengers. These incidents may also lead to navigation hazards and marine pollution, costly salvage operations that use money that could otherwise be invested in other needed boating infrastructure or services for boaters.
Roads and Maritime has announced plans for its 2019 state-wide audit of moorings. The audit commenced in April and is being progressively rolled out across NSW. The audit program aims to:
- Reduce salvage costs of vessels that sink.
- Safeguard the marine environment.
- Increase mooring compliance and remove mooring minders.
- Improve water safety and access, and potentially reduce wait list times for moorings in some areas.
- Protect customers from purchasing non-compliant vessels on the secondary resale market.
- Register non-compliant vessels and alert potential buyers to any outstanding mooring issues when transferring ownership.
Further information about the audit and requirements of mooring licensees is available here or contact RMS via email at psaudit@rms.nsw.gov.au or telephone 13 12 36 (option 2).
