Coordination of Sea Time

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Coordination of Sea Time

ISA has released its Coordination of Sea Time Final Report, providing a clear, evidence-based pathway to support Australia’s maritime workforce by improving how trainee seafarers access mandatory sea time.

Latest update Project Completion
Latest update Next Steps
About the project

Project overview

On-the-job training is an approach used by many industries to give learners access to worksite conditions and learn under the guidance of skilled workers. Within maritime, securing access to ‘sea time’ on vessels and gaining the necessary hours to achieve certification, is particularly complex given the remote and complex nature of maritime operations.

In its Final Report, the Strategic Fleet Taskforce highlighted the need for better coordination and improved access to training berths on vessels so that seafarers can complete their mandatory sea time training obligations.

This project will examine models to expedite access to training berths for maritime trainees. It will help to establish a skilled workforce for the Strategic Fleet as committed to by the Australian Government and support the broader maritime industry.

Project

The project will produce

1 An Options paper that will form the basis for consultation with stakeholders on different models
2 Final Report which will serve as advice to policymakers working to establish the Strategic Fleet.
Project timeline

Latest updates

Project Completion

Project Completion

ISA has released its Coordination of Sea Time Final Report, providing a clear, evidence-based pathway to support Australia’s maritime workforce by improving how trainee seafarers access mandatory sea time. It provides the maritime sector with a practical pathway forward to identify an industry-preferred model to enhance equity, transparency, and long-term workforce planning to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled and competent seafarers for Australia. 

The report delivers on Recommendation 9 of the Australian Government’s response to the Strategic Fleet Taskforce Report and workforce priorities under the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Maritime Industry Workforce Plans and Updates to address a longstanding challenge: coordinating sea time placements on vessels to support seafarer certification. 

Through extensive national stakeholder engagement, regulatory analysis, and international benchmarking, the project confirmed that the current system is fragmented disconnected and inefficient. 

Key constraints include: 

  • Low real-time visibility of training berth availability
  • Relies on trainees to source and secure placements
  • High upfront costs for trainees and employers
  • Limited Australian vessel opportunities
  • Difficulty accessing international vessels
  • Complex and unclear training pathways causing a mismatch between training and berth supply

These pressures are restricting workforce supply at a time of growing industry demand. 

Four national coordination models were assessed, with two emerging as the strongest options: 

  • Independent Sea Time Coordinator 
  • Consortium of Training Service Providers 

Both models offer a centralised, learner-focused approach to matching trainees with sea time opportunities. They are designed to improve access, fairness, and more effective workforce planning across the industry, while maintaining existing regulatory arrangements. 

The report provides the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) with a robust foundation to progress a feasibility business case assessment and pilot design. 

Completion of the project marks a key milestone in building a more coordinated, sustainable maritime workforce pipeline for Australia. 

Next Steps

ISA is now undertaking a project to deliver Coordination of Sea Time Feasibility Business Case and Pilot Implementation Plan. 

Key outputs will include: 

  • A feasibility business case assessing options for nationally coordinated access to qualifying sea time 
  • Mapping of existing and potential training berths across Australian and internationally operating fleets 
  • Analysis of alignment with AMSA certification requirements 
  • Commercial, workforce and cost impact analysis of an industry-preferred coordination model 
  • A pilot implementation plan, including governance, compliance and evaluation arrangements 
  • Evidence based recommendations for scalable, long-term national coordination of sea time

General updates

Timelines

The Coordination of Sea Time Project will conclude in October 2025.