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​From 1 March 2023, all pilotage services providers (PSPs) in Victoria must be licensed by Ports Victoria, under changes to the state’s Port Management Act.

Ports Victoria has published the Pilotage Services Providers Standard which can be viewed on the Ports Victoria web portal under Latest News.

Please find a link to Notice to Mariners 404 (T) – 2022 Safe clearing of commercial vessels (SOLAS) from Port Waters – cancelled.

The NtM advises mariners and port users that Svitzer Australia have announced the planned lockout of tug crews will not proceed and planned shipping movements and port operations can recommence.

As such, Ports Victoria will coordinate a staged resumption of shipping within port of Melbourne effective immediately. The scheduling of vessel movements will be coordinated through Melbourne VTS.

Shipping will also resume within the port of Hastings.

Link to Notice to Mariners 404(T)

Find an update on Ports Victoria’s planning around towage availability as at 17 November 2022 @ 17:00

Link attached to document. Ports Victoria towage update #2

Find an update on Ports Victoria’s planning around towage availability as at 16 November 2022

Link to the attached document. Ports Victoria towage update

As the Victorian State election will be held on Saturday 26 November 2022, the Victorian Government has assumed a caretaker role from 6:00 pm on 1 November 2022. During the caretaker period, content will only be added to this website in accordance with the caretaker conventions.

Please note, this site contains links to websites that are not maintained or funded by the State of Victoria.

The Victorian Commercial Ports Strategy

Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne today released Navigating our Port Futures: The Victorian Commercial Ports Strategy, which sets out a 30-year framework to ensure an efficient and productive ports system.

The strategy document is available for download from the Ports and Freight section of the Department of Transport website.

PUBLIC NOTICE

DECLARATION OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION

Ports Victoria as the port management authority for the Port of Geelong makes the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic).

For the purposes of boating activity conducted by Australian Offshore Powerboat Club, persons and vessels involved in the 2022 Geelong Offshore Superboat Championship are exempt from the following requirements:

State Rules made under the Marine Act 1988

1. Clause 2(c) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel

Marine Safety Regulations 2012

Modification   For the purpose of boating activity conducted by the Australian Offshore Powerboat Club “Schedule 1 – Types of personal floatation devices”, of the Marine Safety Regulations 2012 (MSR) is modified to include a personal floatation device (PFD) is a PFD type 1,2 or 3 if it complies with the current Australian Power boat association (APBA) rule book.

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

• Masters of rescue vessels are only exempt from item 1 when undertaking a rescue operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety.
• Masters of competing vessels are only exempt from item 1 for the duration of their event and only applies when within 50 metres of another competing vessel.
• Persons on competing vessels must wear PFDs that comply with Rule 801 of the current APBA Rulebook.
• Persons on course official and rescue vessels involved with the event must wear a personal floatation device at all times during the event, excluding rescue divers, and vessels must have all prescribed safety equipment.
• In the event of any incident that results in hospitalisation or fatality involving a person or vessel directly or indirectly involved in the event, these must be immediately reported to Victoria Police. In the case of all other incidents, Maritime Safety Victoria requires an incident report within 7 days and a finalised report within 30 days.
• The exemption and modification apply from 12:00pm – 3:00pm Saturday 26 March and 10:00am – 2:00pm Sunday 27 March 2022, in waters 200 metres from shore within the exclusion zone from Rippleside to Limeburners Point along the southern sector of Corio Bay.
• The exemptions apply provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the application form and associated documentation are adhered to.

Ports Victoria

Dated: 25/03/2022

Marine Safety Act 2010

Section 208(2)

NOTICE OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXCLUSION ZONE

Ports Victoria as the port management authority for the Port of Geelong port waters, hereby gives notice under section 208(2) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic) that all persons and vessels not involved in the Geelong Offshore Superboat Championship 2022 are prohibited from entering and remaining in the waters approximately from Rippleside to Limeburners Point along the southern sector of Corio Bay, bound by the following points marked by buoys:

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.170’S, 144°21.690’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.390’S, 144°21.760’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.480’S, 144°21.840’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.740’S, 144°22.440’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.460’S, 144°23.430’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.220’S, 144°23.320’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.320’S, 144°22.330’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°08.270’S, 144°22.250’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°07.630’S, 144°22.150’E

Perimeter Buoy:          38°07.630’S, 144°21.810’E

The exclusion zone takes effect between 12:00pm to 3:00pm on Saturday 26 March 2022 and 10.00am to 2:00pm Sunday 27 March 2022.

Ports Victoria

Dated: 25/03/2022

Ports Victoria welcomes the announcement of Brendan Webb as the organisation’s inaugural CEO. Follow the link below to read the ammouncement from the Minister for Ports and Freight.

Media release from the Minister for Ports and Freight

Victorian state-wide ports body – Ports Victoria – officially begins operations today , 1 July 2021

Headquartered in Geelong, the new body will have oversight of the port of Melbourne, Geelong, Hastings and Portland.

Official media release

PUBLIC NOTICE
DECLARATION OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION
and NOTICE OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXCLUSION ZONE

PORT OF GEELONG
LOCAL PORT OF PORT PHILLIP 

Geelong Offshore Superboat Championship Event 10-11 April 2021

Victorian Regional Channels Authority as the port management authority for the Port of
Geelong and Parks Victoria as the declared waterway manager for Local Port of Port Phillip, makes
the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic).

For the purposes of boating activity conducted by Australian Offshore Powerboat Club, persons and
vessels involved in the Geelong Offshore Superboat Championships are exempt from the following
requirements:

State Rules made under the Marine Act 1988
1. Clause 2(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 meters of a person in the water
2. Clause 2(c) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 meters of another vessel.
3. Clause 4(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 200 meters of the water’s edge

Waterway Rules made under the Marine Safety Act 2010 / Marine Act 1988
4. Clause 1.4.7 of Schedule 1 – 5 knot speed restriction zones: all waters of South West
Port Phillip within 200 meters of the waters’ edge
5. Clause 1.4.12 (c) of Schedule 1 – The master of a personal watercraft must not operate
the personal watercraft: for any purpose other than transiting in the safest most direct course
to, or from the shore and/or a boat ramp or berthing facility (including a jetty, pier or mooring),
whilst operating within designated 5 knot speed restriction zones.

Marine Safety Regulations 2012
Modification For the purpose of boating activity conducted by the Australian Offshore Powerboat
Club “Schedule 1 – Types of personal floatation devices”, of the Marine Safety Regulations 2012
(MSR) is modified to include a personal floatation device (PFD) is a PFD type 1,2 or 3 if it
complies with the current Australian Power boat association (APBA) rule book

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

• Masters of rescue vessels and personal watercraft vessels are only exempt from items 1 to
  4 when undertaking a rescue operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial
  medical or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety.
• Masters of personal watercraft rescue vessels are only exempt from item 5 for the
  duration of the event.
• Masters of competing vessels are only exempt from item 2 to 4 for the duration of the
  event.
• Persons on competing vessels must wear PFDs that comply with Rule 801 of the current
  APBA Rulebook.
• Persons on course official and rescue vessels involved with the event must wear a
  personal floatation device at all times during the event, excluding rescue divers, and vessels must
  have all prescribed safety equipment.
• In the event of any injuries which result in hospitalisation, a fatality or an incident
  involving a person or vessel not involved in the event, these must be immediately reported to
  Victorian Police and MSV. In the case of all other incidents MSV requires incident reports within
  seven days and a finalised report in thirty days.
• The exemptions and modification apply from 12:00pm – 3:00pm Saturday 10th April and
  10:15am – 2:00pm Sunday 11th April 2021 within the exclusion zone waters – Port of Geelong &
  Local Port of Port Phillip – of Corio Bay approximately 200m offshore between Rippleside Beach to
  Limeburners Point along the southern sector as marked by buoys.
• The exemptions apply provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the
  application form and associated documentation are adhered to.
  Victorian Regional

Marine Safety Act 2010
Section 208(2)
NOTICE OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXCLUSION ZONE

Victorian Regional Channels Authority as the port management authority for the Port of Geelong and
Parks Victoria as the declared waterway manager for Local Port of Port Phillip, hereby gives
notice under section 208(2) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic) that all persons and vessels not
registered to take part in the Geelong Offshore Superboat Championships are prohibited from
entering and remaining in the following waters.

Waters of Port of Geelong and Local Port of Port Phillip – Corio Bay approximately 200m offshore
between Rippleside Beach to Limeburners Point along the southern sector bound by the following
points marked by buoys:

38°08.170’S 144°21.690’E
38°08.390’S 144°21.760’E
38°08.480’S 144°21.840’E
38°08.740’S 144°22.440’E
38°08.460’S 144°23.430’E
38°08.220’S 144°23.320’E
38°08.320’S 144°22.330’E
38°08.270’S 144°22.250’E
38°07.630’S 144°22.150’E
38°07.630’S 144°21.810’E

The exclusion zone will be in effect 12:00pm – 3:00pm on Saturday 10th April and 10:15am –
2:00pm on Sunday 11th April 2021.

Victorian Regional Channels Authority
Dated: 7/04/2021