3Object of Act

3 Object of Act

(1) The object of this Act is to provide a regulatory framework for coastal trading in Australia that: (a) promotes a viable shipping industry that contributes to the broader Australian economy; and (b) facilitates the long term growth of the Australian shipping industry; and (c) enhances the efficiency and reliability of Australian shipping as part of the national transport system; and (d) maximises the use of vessels registered in the Australian General Shipping Register in coastal trading; and (e) promotes competition in coastal trading; and (f) ensures efficient movement of passengers and cargo between Australian ports. (2) This Act aims to achieve its object by the following means: (a) ensuring that a vessel that is used to engage in coastal trading under a general licence has unrestricted access to Australian waters; (b) ensuring that a vessel that is used to engage in coastal trading has access to Australian waters under a temporary licence that is limited in time and to voyages authorised by the licence; (c) ensuring that a vessel that is used to engage in coastal trading under an emergency licence has the access to Australian waters required to deal with the emergency to which the licence relates.