The Australian Senate called an inquiry into the increasing use of so-called 'Flag of Convenience' shipping in Australia following deaths on board the SageSagittarius. The inquiry will consider progress made since a 1992 report on ship safety and examine the effect of Flag of Convenience vessels on issues like national security, employment standards, and the environment. Interested parties are requested to submit to the inquiry by August 7, 2015.

1. Australian Senate inquiry into so-called Flag of Convenience shipping in Australia
On 18 June 2015 the Australian Senate called an inquiry into the increasing use of so-called
‘Flag of Convenience’ shipping in Australia.
The call for the inquiry has arisen out of the death of two seafarers and one superintendent
in three separate events on board the “SageSagittarius”during a sixweek period in late 2012.
The inquiry follows the December 1992 House of Representatives report ‘Ships of Shame,
Inquiry into Ship Safety’, which contributed to a period of international shipping safety and
welfare reform. One of the terms of reference of the inquiry will be to consider the progress
made since the 1992 report.
Submissions on the inquiry are required to be lodged before 7 August 2015.
Terms of Reference
The terms of reference for the inquiry are “the increasing use of so-calledFlag of Convenience
shipping in Australia, with particular reference to:
1.the effect on Australia‘s national security, fuel security, minimum employment law
standards and our marine environment;
2.the general standard of Flag of Convenience vessels trading to, from and around Australian
ports, and methods of inspection of these vessels toensure that they are seaworthy and meet
required standards;
3.the employment and possible exposure to exploitation and corruption of international
seafarers on Flag of Convenience ships;
4.discrepancies between legal remedies available to international seafarers in state and
territory jurisdictions, opportunities for harmonisation, and the quality of shore-based
welfare for seafarers working in Australian waters;
5. progress made in this area since the 1992 House of Representatives Standing Committee
on Transport, Communications and Infrastructure report Ships of shame: inquiry into ship
safety; and
6. any related matters.”
Submissions and Report
The terms of reference are far-reaching and include matters of shipping security, employment
standards, vessel inspection and Port State Control. To the extent that any adverse findings
are made, it is likely that this will result in recommendations for legal and regulatory reform
in these areas, which could have substantial impacts on the conduct of shipping to and from
Australia.
Accordingly, it is essential that interested and affected industry participants and bodies and
so-called ‘Flag of Convenience’ flag State authorities lodge submissions for consideration by
the Committee in the preparation of its report. If submissions are not lodged, the findings and
recommendations of the Committee may not be properly informed and/or in accordance with
international commercial shipping practices.
Submissions must be received by the Committee no later than 7 August 2015. The
Committee’s report is expected to be released in early 2016.