Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy ministers
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Decorative image

    Australian Energy Employment Report survey

    Share insights to help the energy workforce plan for the future

    Find out more

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    Read our Nature Positive Plan

    Our plan sets out the Australian Government’s commitment to environmental law reform

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Decorative image

    Juukan Gorge response

    Read the Australian Government's response to the destruction at Juukan Gorge and the recommendations

    Read the response

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Environment
  3. Marine
  4. Sea dumping
  5. Disposal of vessels at sea

Sidebar first - EN - Marine

  • Sea Dumping Act
    • Application process
    • Artificial reefs
    • Bulky items
    • Burial at sea
    • Carbon dioxide sequestration
    • Dredged or excavated material
    • Fish waste
    • Platforms or structures
    • Vessels
    • Sea dumping publications

Disposal of vessels at sea

The Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 (Sea Dumping Act) regulates the disposal of vessels at sea. If you wish to dispose of vessels at sea, you will require a sea dumping permit.

Past activities that have been granted a permit for sea dumping include:

  • sinking apprehended vessels, (e.g. illegal foreign fishing and suspected illegal entrant vessels), when the vessel is unseaworthy or incapable of being transported to an Australian port or presents a quarantine risk
  • use of ship hulks for live-fire military weapons practice.

Permits are necessary to ensure that materials are adequately prepared, dumped at appropriate sites and that there are no significant adverse impacts on the marine environment or other marine users.

Site selection

Ideally, sea disposal sites should be in deep water and far from coastal communities. Sea disposal should not occur in areas frequented by other marine users (e.g., shipping, deep sea trawling).

Disposal sites should also be chosen to minimise disturbances to the environment and bio-physical and ecological processes. Features to be aware of include species' migration routes, spawning and breeding areas, seamounts and underwater canyons and trenches, reefs, shoals, cays, and islands.

An example of a preferred sea disposal site would be a location with waters at least 2,000 metres deep, at least 50 nautical miles (nm) from the coast and at least 20 nm from the nearest historic shipwreck, sub-sea cable, pipeline, oil/gas well, reef, seamount, bank or shoal. The site would also be clear of normal shipping routes and active marine fauna migration routes and breeding areas.

Material preparation

Before dumping, the vessel must be cleared of material or contaminants that may pose an environmental, safety or quarantine risk.

This includes pollutants and materials that may float and represent an ingestion or entanglement hazard to marine fauna or impact hazard to vessels.

Due attention must also be given to polluting and buoyant substances that are released as a result of damage to the structure during placement or due to breakdown following long-term immersion.

Other approvals

In some cases, other Commonwealth legislation may need to be considered in parallel with, or may take precedence over, the Sea Dumping Act, e.g., fisheries, customs and quarantine legislation may apply in cases involving apprehended foreign fishing vessels. Sea dumping activities may also require approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Permit application form and fee

The application fee for an artificial reef permit is $12,700. For more information on how to pay the fee, visit: how to apply for a sea dumping permit.

Download

Permit application form to dispose of vessels at sea (PDF 292 KB)
Permit application form to dispose of vessels at sea (DOC 85.9 KB)

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 09 December 2022

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.