Marine Safety in Victoria Report 2007-2008 (PDF, 1.3 MB, 72 pp.)

2. Structure of the report and definitions
2.1 Structure
Cases extracted from the four datasets are classified and reported according to the class of vessel involved
in the incident: commercial, hire drive and recreational. Each incident is allocated to only one category. If
two classes of vessel are involved in the one incident then the incident is classified according to the ‘higher’
category of vessel involved, with commercial vessels ranked above hire drive, then recreational vessels.
Within these three broad categories both non-injury (‘serious’ and ‘response only’ incidents) and injury (fatal
and non-fatal) incidents are reported.
2.2 Definitions
Commercial vessel
A commercial vessel is any vessel, other than one under the control of the Department of Defence, which
is operated in connection with a commercial transaction of any kind including operation as a business,
service, for profit or research.
It is important to note that responsibility for large commercial vessels (and vessel safety) rest primarily with
the Commonwealth. The jurisdiction of MSV for commercial vessel safety matters is confined to Victorian
registered vessels such as commercial fishing vessels, small ferries and other passenger vessels and the like.
Hire Drive vessel
A hire drive vessel is any boat or vessel that is let for hire or reward or for any other consideration including
vessels provided in conjunction with holiday establishments or hotels for the use of guests or tenants and
which the hirer uses solely for pleasure.
Recreational vessel
Recreational vessels are those used solely for the purpose of recreational or sporting activities and not
used for hire or reward.
Response only incidents
‘Response only’ incidents are incidents covered by the MIR system but not covered by the definition of a
‘marine incident’ in the national reference manual. They include:
• disablement of vessel i.e. when a vessel has broken down or been disabled
• persons in trouble i.e. no vessel was involved but activity still happened in the water e.g., person on
body board has been swept out to sea
False alarms (incident is a false alarm but still be responded to) and non-marine incidents (no vessel was
involved and activity did not happen in the water e.g. rock fisherman trapped on rocks) were not included
in counts in 2007/8 and were removed from the 2005/6 and 2006/7 counts for trend analysis and when
data for 2007/8 were being compared to data for 2006/7.
Serious incidents
Serious incidents conform to the definition of a ‘marine incident’ in the national reference manual
and include incidents resulting in hospital admission; and vessel-related incidents involving collision;
grounding; capsizing; sinking; swamping; flooding; loss or presumed loss of vessel; loss of stability; fire;
explosion; person overboard; onboard incident; other person injury; and close quarters.
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