Marine Board of Victoria

Full description

Establishment and Functions

The Marine Board of Victoria was established by the Marine Board Act 1887 and commenced operations on 20 December 1888, being the date of the first meeting of the Board as proclaimed in the Government Gazette. It assumed all functions previously exercised by the Pilot Board of Victoria.

The Marine Board of Victoria has been responsible for:

• mercantile marine matters including standards of marine safety and shipping registration
• certification of pilots, ships masters, mates and engineers
• Port Phillip Pilot Service
• instituting investigations by the Court of Marine Inquiry.

With the proclamation of certain sections of the Commonwealth Navigation Act on 1 October 1923, the Commonwealth became responsible for the control of foreign-going and interstate shipping and the Marine Board staff of engineers, surveyors, shipwrights, inspectors of shipping and clerical staff were transferred to the Federal Navigation Department.

For the period 1923 to 1926, the Commonwealth acted as an agent for the State and carried out the residual functions of the Board, namely:

• control of the Port Phillip Pilot Service
• control of intra-state shipping and
• licensing of motor boats.

It had been intended that the Pilot Service would also come under Commonwealth control, but the relevant sections of the Navigation Act were never proclaimed.

In 1927, the Marine Board was effectively re-established under the control of the Minister for Public Works and the Commonwealth ceased to act as an agent for the State.

Initially responsible to the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, the Board became responsible in 1901 to the Chief Secretary, to the Minister of Public Works on 1 January 1927, and to the Minister of Transport on 1 July 1983. The staff carrying out the functions of the Board were mostly employed in the Departments of State within these portfolios. (VA 606 Department of Trade and Customs, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, VA 669 Department of Public Works and VA 673 Ministry of Transport).

On 7 February 2002, the Marine Board of Victoria was abolished and replaced by a statutory office, the Director of Marine Safety, under the Marine (Further Amendment) Act 2001. With the abolishment of The Director of Marine Safety was to perform all the functions that had been performed by the Board. The office traded as Marine Safety Victoria (VA 5696).