Overview

The National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) is a statutory body of the Papua New Guinea Government established under the National Maritime Safety Authority Act 2003. NMSA became operational in 2006 and serves as the principal regulatory body for maritime safety in Papua New Guinea.

NMSA operates under the oversight of the Minister for Transport & Infrastructure and is governed by a Board appointed under the Act. The Authority is headed by a Chief Executive Officer who leads three operational divisions.

Our Mission

To ensure safe, secure, and environmentally sustainable maritime operations in Papua New Guinea waters through effective regulation, enforcement, and stakeholder engagement.

Our Vision

A maritime nation where all people can travel safely on our waters, our marine environment is protected, and our maritime industry meets international standards.

Three Core Responsibilities

NMSA’s mandate centres on three pillars:

• Saving Lives at Sea — Coordinating search and rescue operations across PNG’s vast maritime zone
• Safety Standards Compliance — Regulating and enforcing maritime safety standards for all vessels
• Cleaner Marine Environment — Preventing and responding to ship-sourced maritime pollution

Organisational Structure

Maritime Operations Division

Responsible for ship surveys and inspections, navigation safety, hydrography, marine environment protection, search and rescue coordination, marine domain awareness, and small craft safety programs.

Maritime Administration Division

Handles maritime standards and policy, seafarer qualifications and crewing, pilotage administration, ships registry, community development programs, and enforcement of maritime regulations.

Corporate Services Division

Provides finance and administration, human resources, information technology, legal services, and corporate communications support to the Authority.

Legislative Framework

NMSA operates under a comprehensive legislative framework that includes:

• National Maritime Safety Authority Act 2003
• Merchant Shipping Act 1975
• Navigation Act
• Marine Pollution Act
• PNG Maritime Security Act
• Small Craft Act

Papua New Guinea is also a signatory to key international maritime conventions including SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, SAR, and others administered through the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Key Government Policies

NMSA’s work is guided by several national policy instruments:

• PNG National Transport Strategy 2024–2033
• PNG Digital Transformation Policy
• PNG Maritime Transport Policy
• National Maritime Security Strategy