Short title [see Note 1]
1 Short title [see Note 1]
This Act may be cited as the Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy) Act 1981.
© 2026 Zoe. All rights reserved.
Zoe is a legal information platform. Always consult the Federal Register of Legislation for authoritative text.
Commonwealth act
This Act imposes a quarterly levy on ships 24 metres or longer that carried at least 10 tonnes of oil in bulk while in an Australian port, with per‑ton rates and a prescribed minimum charge set by regulation. It repeals the 1972 shipping‑levy Act and incorporates a separate Collection Act, and excludes defence and certain government-owned non-trading vessels; the Governor‑General makes regulations fixing the applicable rate and minimum for each quarter.
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy) Act 1981.
This Act may be cited as the Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy) Act 1981.
(1) This Act shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by Proclamation. (2) The date fixed under subsection (1) shall not be a date other than the first day of a quarter.
The Pollution of the Sea by Oil (Shipping Levy) Act 1972 is repealed.
The Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy Collection) Act 1981 is incorporated in, and shall be read as one with, this Act.
Where, at any time during a quarter when a ship to which this Act applies was in an Australian port, there was on board the ship a quantity of oil in bulk weighing not less than 10 tonnes, levy is imposed in respect of the ship for the quarter.
The rate of levy for a quarter is such rate per ton of the tonnage of a ship as is prescribed and is, in accordance with the regulations, applicable to the quarter.
Where, but for this section, the amount of the levy payable in respect of a ship for a quarter would be less than such amount, being an amount not exceeding $25, as is prescribed for the purposes of this section and is, in accordance with the regulations, applicable to the quarter, the amount of the levy payable in respect of the ship for the quarter is the amount so prescribed.
(1) This Act applies to a ship (including a ship that is laid up) the tonnage length of which is not less than 24 metres, but does not apply to a ship: (a) that belongs to, or is for the time being demised or sub‑demised to or in the exclusive possession of, an arm of the Defence Force of Australia or the armed forces of a country other than Australia; (b) that belongs to, or is for the time being demised or sub‑demised to or in the exclusive possession of, the Commonwealth or a State or Territory, or an authority of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory, and is not engaged in trade; or (c) the beneficial interest in which is vested in the Commonwealth or a State or Territory, or an authority of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory, and that is not engaged in trade. (2) The tonnage length of a ship shall be determined, for the purposes of subsection (1), in the same manner as it is determined for the purposes of the Shipping Registration Act 1981.
The Governor‑General may make regulations for the purposes of sections 6 and 7.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
This Act may be cited as the Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy) Act 1981.
(1) This Act shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by Proclamation. (2) The date fixed under subsection (1) shall not be a date other than the first day of a quarter.
The Pollution of the Sea by Oil (Shipping Levy) Act 1972 is repealed.
The Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy Collection) Act 1981 is incorporated in, and shall be read as one with, this Act.
Where, at any time during a quarter when a ship to which this Act applies was in an Australian port, there was on board the ship a quantity of oil in bulk weighing not less than 10 tonnes, levy is imposed in respect of the ship for the quarter.
The rate of levy for a quarter is such rate per ton of the tonnage of a ship as is prescribed and is, in accordance with the regulations, applicable to the quarter.
Where, but for this section, the amount of the levy payable in respect of a ship for a quarter would be less than such amount, being an amount not exceeding $25, as is prescribed for the purposes of this section and is, in accordance with the regulations, applicable to the quarter, the amount of the levy payable in respect of the ship for the quarter is the amount so prescribed.
(1) This Act applies to a ship (including a ship that is laid up) the tonnage length of which is not less than 24 metres, but does not apply to a ship: (a) that belongs to, or is for the time being demised or sub‑demised to or in the exclusive possession of, an arm of the Defence Force of Australia or the armed forces of a country other than Australia; (b) that belongs to, or is for the time being demised or sub‑demised to or in the exclusive possession of, the Commonwealth or a State or Territory, or an authority of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory, and is not engaged in trade; or (c) the beneficial interest in which is vested in the Commonwealth or a State or Territory, or an authority of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory, and that is not engaged in trade. (2) The tonnage length of a ship shall be determined, for the purposes of subsection (1), in the same manner as it is determined for the purposes of the Shipping Registration Act 1981.
The Governor‑General may make regulations for the purposes of sections 6 and 7.