We would like to advise that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued a reminder drawing attention to the requirement to provide shore leave to seafarers for ships calling at Australian ports.

It explicitly advises as practical guidance for Masters and operators that they should not use port State control (PSC) inspections as a reason to delay, restrict or deny shore leave. Furthermore, it provides reassurance by stating that should AMSA attend a ship to conduct a PSC inspection while seafarers are ashore, this will not, in itself, result in any adverse action being taken against the vessel. For full details, please refer to the AMSA Marine notice 2026/02.

Ensuring Seafarer Well-being and Safe Operations

The unique working environment of ocean-going vessels, characterised by prolonged periods in confined spaces and isolation from family and society, places a specific psychological burden on seafarers. The accumulation of fatigue and stress under such conditions can lead to a lack of concentration, potentially triggering serious human errors (maritime accidents).

Therefore, temporarily stepping away from the shipboard environment to refresh through shore leave at ports of call is a highly effective measure for maintaining seafarers' mental well-being and ensuring safe operations. The Club believes that proactive promotion of such well-being is one of the key pillars of loss prevention.

For further practical guidance on mental health care for seafarers, you may find the following P&I Loss Prevention Bulletin helpful: Mental Health Care for Ocean-going Seafarers: A Human Capital and Loss Prevention Perspective issued in September 2026 (for Members only).

We will continue to provide the latest information and technical insights to assist our Members in preventing accidents.