Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations

Legislation au C1955L00030 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1955. No. .

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REGULATIONS UNDER THE NAVIGATION ACT 1912-1953.*

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Navigation Act 1912-1953.

Dated this twenty eighth day of April, 1955.

W. J. Slim

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

Minister of State for Shipping and Transport.

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NAVIGATION (DANGEROUS GOODS) REGULATIONS.

Citation.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations.

Repeal.

2. The Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations (comprising Statutory Rules 1948, No. 140) are repealed.

Definitions.

3. In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears—

“ dangerous goods ” means goods (other than goods forming part of the equipment or stores of a ship in which they are carried) which have been declared by proclamation under section 248 of the Act to be dangerous;

“ manufactured fireworks (shop goods) ” means fireworks containing not more than six hundred grains of explosive in each firework, such as squibs, crackers, serpents, rockets, maroons, wheels, Chinese fire and Roman candles, and includes explosives which, in a classification of explosives for the purpose of a law of a State, are classified as manufactured fireworks (shop goods);

“ passenger ship ” means a ship carrying more than twelve passengers;

“ the Act ” means the Navigation Act 1912-1953.

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1955.

4822.—Price 5d. 9/3.2.1955.


Determination by Minister.

4.––(1.) For the purposes of sub-section (2.) of section 253a of the Act the Minister may determine in writing requirements with which dangerous goods, and the packing stowing and carriage of dangerous goods, shall comply.

(2.) Where a determination is made under the last preceding sub-regulation—

(a) notice of the making of the determination shall be published in the Gazette as soon as practicable after the making of the determination ; and

(b) a copy of the determination shall be laid before each House of the Parliament within fifteen sitting days of that House after the making of the determination.

Notice of intention to ship.

5.—(1.) A notice under section 255 of the Act of intention to ship dangerous goods shall be in accordance with the form set out in the First Schedule to these Regulations and shall be given to the prescribed person at least twenty-four hours, or such shorter period as the prescribed person allows, before the goods are shipped.

(2.) For the purposes of the last preceding sub-regulation, the prescribed person is—

(a) in the case of goods included in a class of dangerous goods which the Minister has declared, by instrument in writing, to be a class of dangerous goods in the handling of which there is a low degree of danger—the master, owner or agent of the ship on which the goods are to be shipped ; and

(b) in any other case—

(i) if it is intended to ship the goods at the port of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Fremantle or Hobart—the Deputy Director for the State in which the port is situated ; and

(ii) if it is intended to ship the goods at any other port—the representative at the port of the Deputy Director for the State or Territory in which the port is situated.

Passenger ships.

6.—(1.) Subject to sub-regulation (3.) of this regulation, a person shall not send by, or carry in, a passenger ship explosives the total weight of which, together with their immediate casing and packing, is twenty pounds or more unless the explosives are—

(a) included in a class of explosives specified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations ;

(b) distress signal rockets for use in ships or aircraft, being rockets the total weight of which is less than one ton ; or

(c) manufactured fireworks (shop goods).

Penalty : Fifty pounds.

(2.) Subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, a person shall not send by, or carry in, a passenger ship which is authorized to carry more than—

(a) twenty-five passengers ; or


(b) if the number calculated by dividing the registered length of the ship, expressed in feet, by ten, is greater than twenty-five—a number of passengers equal to the number so calculated,

dangerous goods included in a class of dangerous goods specified in the Third Schedule to these Regulations.

Penalty : Fifty pounds.

(3.) The Minister may grant an exemption in writing from compliance with the requirements of either of the last two preceding sub-regulations in any case in which he considers that compliance is, in the circumstances of the case, unnecessary or undesirable in the public interest.

(4.) Distress signal rockets and manufactured fireworks (shop goods) sent by, or carried in, a passenger ship are required to be stowed in the ship under the supervision of a person appointed in writing by the master of the ship for that purpose.

 

THE SCHEDULES.

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FIRST SCHEDULE.

Regulation 5.

Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations.

To:     Part of—

Notice is hereby given that it is proposed to ship in the    lying at                                             on              /              /              , the undermentioned dangerous goods :—

Goods

Quantity

Description

How packed

Name and address of consignor

Dated this    day of     , 19 .

Shipper.

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SECOND SCHEDULE.

Regulation 6.

Explosives which may be taken on Board a Passenger Ship.

Ajax Percussion Caps.

Antifyre Percussion Caps.

Battery Pockets.

Bullseye Percussion Caps.

Cardox Heater D.

Cartridge for Martin Cutter.

Cartridges, bolt, cable cutting, linked, punch or rocket.

Cases, Cartridge, Capped.

Cases for Turbo-Starter Cartridges (Empty), Primed.

Cordtex.

Curtis’s and Harvey’s Safety Electric Fuzes.

Delay Fuze Assembly (10 Seconds).

Drogue Ejector Cartridges.

Eley Kynoch No. 91 Percussion Cap.

Eley Kynoch No. 1a Percussion Cap.

Excelsior Safety Electric Fuzes.


The Schedules—continued.

Ferrule Igniter for Safety Fuze.

Flame Detector Cord

Fuzehead Assemblies.

Hydrox Igniter No. 1 Safety Electric Fuze.

Igniters for Grenades.

Kynoch Fog Signal Caps.

Kynoch No. 41 Percussion Cap.

Kynoch No. 70 Percussion Cap.

Kynoch No. 81 Percussion Cap.

Kynoch Rail Car Fog Signals.

M.O.C. Cartridges (Type l).

M.O.C. Cartridges (Type 4).

M.O.C. Cartridges (Type 6).

Multiple Safety Fuze Igniters.

Nicorro Percussion Caps.

Nobel’s Electric Delay Action Fuzes.

Nobel’s Safety Electric Fuzes.

Nobel’s Safety Electric Delay Fuzes.

Norres Patent Fuze Lighters.

Orion Patent Safety Electric Fuzes.

Percussion Caps, O. in C. No 1.

Plastic Core Safety Fuze.

Push Mechanism Type 6.

Pull Mechanism Type 6.

Railway Fog Signals, O. in C. No. 1.

Release Mechanism Type 6.

Safety Cartridge Cases (Empty), Capped.

Safety Electric Primers.

Safety Firing Tubes, No. 1.

Safety Fuze, O. in C. No. 1.

Safety Fuze Lighters.

Safety Instantaneous Fuze.

Schermer Cattle Killer Cartridges.

Special Safety Fuze.

Thermal Gas Closing Cartridges.

Trip Fuzes.

Turbo-Starter Primers, Electrically Fired, 15 grain.

Tyre Sound Signals.

Venus Patent Safety Electric Fuzes.

Vulcan Patent Safety Electric Fuzes.

Vickers’ Percussion Caps.

Vulcan Patent Electric Delay Action Fuzes.

Any safety cartridges not specified above.

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THIRD SCHEDULE.

Regulation 6.

Dangerous Goods which may not be taken on Board a Passenger Ship.

Compressed, liquefied and dissolved gases—

Boron Trifluoride.

Carbon Monoxide.

Coal Gas.

Fluorine.

Hydrogen.

Ammonia, Anhydrous, unless in cylinders.

Blau Gas.

Butadiene.

Chlorine.

Cyanogen.

Dimethyl Ether.

Dimethylamine.

Ethyl Chloride, unless in cylinders.


The Schedules—continued.

Ethylene

Ethylene Oxide.

Ethylene Oxide/Carbon Dioxide Mixture.

Ethylene Oxide/Nitrogen Mixture.

Hydrogen Chloride.

Hydrogen Cyanide, Stabilized.

Hydrogen Fluoride.

Hydrogen Sulphide.

Methylamine.

Methyl Bromide.

Methyl Chloride, unless in cylinders.

Nitrogen Tetroxide.

Nitrosyl Chloride.

Oil Gas.

Phosgene.

Sulphur Dioxide, unless in cylinders or glass syphons.

Trimethylamine.

Acetylene.

Corrosives—

Antimony Pentachloride, unless in containers of 2½ gallon capacity or under.

Antimony Trichloride, unless in containers of 2½ gallon capacity or under.

Benzoyl Chloride.

Chloroacetyl Chloride.

Chlorosulphonic Acid.

Diphenylmethyl Bromide.

Fluoboric Acid.

Fluosilicic Acid.

Hydriodic Acid.

Hydrobromic Acid.

Hydrochloric Acid.

Hydrofluoric Acid solutions.

Mixed Acid.

Nitric Acid.

Perchloric Acid.

Phosphorus Pentachloride.

Phosphorus Tribromide.

Phosphorus Trichloride.

Phosphoryl Chloride.

Silicon Tetrachloride, unless in containers of 2½ gallon capacity or under.

Sludge or Spent Acid.

Stannic Chloride, Anhydrous.

Sulphur Chlorides.

Sulphuric Acid, Specific gravity exceeding 1.405.

Sulphuric Acid, Fuming.

Sulphuryl Chloride.

Thionyl Chloride.

Titanium Tetrachloride.

Poisons—

Bromine and Bromine Solutions.

Chloropicrin.

Hydrogen Cyanide.

Methyl Bromide.

Motor-Fuel Anti-Knock compounds, unless in containers of 5 pint capacity or under.

Tetraethyl Lead, unless in containers of 5 pint capacity or under.

Substances giving off inflammable vapours—

Benzyl Chloride.

Carbon Disulphide.

Enamels, lacquers, paints and varnishes, with a flash point below 73° Fahrenheit, unless in containers of 10 gallon capacity or under.

Di-ethyl-ether, unless in containers of 1 gallon capacity or under.


The Schedules—continued.

Ethyl Chloride.

Ethylene Oxide.

Nickel Carbonyl.

Other substances with a flash point below 73° Fahrenheit, unless in containers of 5 gallon capacity or under.

Substances which become dangerous by interaction with water

Aluminium Powder (unpolished), unless in glass or earthenware containers.

Aluminium Silicon, in powder form.

Barium Alloys, non-pyrophoric.

Barium Metal.

Calcium Metal and Alloys, non-pyrophoric.

Calcium Carbide.

Calcium Phosphide or articles charged wholly or mainly with Calcium Phosphide.

Calcium Silicide.

Calcium Silicon.

Ferro-Silicon containing 15 per centum to 80 per centum Silicon, both figures inclusive.

Magnesium Alloy Powder, unless in glass or earthenware containers or in tins or cans.

Potassium Metal.

Sodium Metal.

Sodium Phosphide.

Strontium Alloys, non-pyrophoric, unless in glass or earthenware containers.

Zinc Phosphide.

Strong Oxidising Agents—

Potassium Bromate.

Sodium Bromate.

Ammonium Chlorate

Barium Chlorate.

Potassium Chlorate.

Sodium Chlorate.

Strontium Chlorate.

Zinc Chlorate.

Chloric Acid.

Calcium Chlorite.

Sodium Chlorite.

Guanidine Nitrate.

Ammonium Perchlorate.

Barium Perchlorate.

Calcium Perchlorate.

Lead Perchlorate.

Magnesium Perchlorate.

Potassium Perchlorate.

Sodium Perchlorate.

Ammonium Permanganate.

Hydrogen Peroxide Solutions greater than 6 per centum strength.

Substances which are liable to spontaneous combustion—

Cotton, wet.

Diethyl Zinc.

Di-methyl-p-nitrosoaniline.

Fibres, burnt, wet or damp.

Fishmeal or fish scrap, unless in sealed metal containers.

Iron Oxide, spent.

Linoleates, resinates and other driers in solid form.

Phosphorus, white or yellow.

Other Dangerous Goods—

Ammonium Picrate, wet,

Benzoyl Peroxide.

Celluloid in the form of scrap, dust, shavings, pieces or stripped film.


The Schedules—continued.

Di-nitro-ortho-cresol, wet or fused solid.

Di-nitro-phenol, wet.

Dinitrophenolates.

Di-nitro-resorcinol, wet.

Hessian bags, used (unless continuously used for inert material).

Lacquer base and chips with nitrocellulose base.

Nitrocellulose, wet.

Picric Acid, wet.

Sodium di-nitro-ortho-cresolate, wet.

Sulphur (Lump, roll or stick), unless in glass or earthenware containers, or in drums, casks, cases or double hessian bags.

Sulphur (powder), unless in glass or earthenware containers, or in drums, casks or cases.

Zirconium Metal.

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Printed for the Government of the Commonwealth by A. J. Arthur at the Government Printing Office, Canberra.

Overview

The Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1955 were made under the authority of the Navigation Act 1912-1953 to address the need for a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the transportation of dangerous goods via maritime vessels within Australian waters. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations were designed to enhance maritime safety by specifying requirements for the declaration, packaging, stowage, and carriage of dangerous goods. The policy objective was to mitigate risks associated with the transport of hazardous materials by imposing strict controls and ensuring compliance with safety standards, thereby protecting human life, property, and the marine environment. These regulations provided a structured approach to managing dangerous goods, including explosives, corrosives, and other hazardous substances, by mandating notifications and approvals before shipment, setting forth detailed packing and stowage requirements, and imposing penalties for non-compliance. This legislative instrument aimed to ensure that dangerous goods were handled in a manner that minimised the potential for accidents or incidents during maritime transport.

Scope and Application

The Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1955 are made under the Navigation Act 1912-1953 and apply to the carriage of dangerous goods on ships within the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulations govern the determination of requirements for the packing, stowing, and carriage of dangerous goods, as well as the notification procedures for shipping such goods. They apply to all persons and entities involved in the transportation of dangerous goods by sea within Australia, including shipmasters, owners, agents, and relevant authorities. The regulations specify the categories of dangerous goods that may be carried on passenger ships, with certain restrictions and exemptions that may be granted by the Minister. The regulations also outline the procedures for notifying the relevant authorities of the intention to ship dangerous goods and detail the types of dangerous goods that are prohibited from being carried on passenger ships. The geographic and jurisdictional reach of these regulations is confined to the Commonwealth of Australia, encompassing all ports and maritime activities within its jurisdiction. The regulations do not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions, but they do allow for exemptions to be granted by the Minister in specific circumstances. The application of these regulations can be extended or modified through subordinate instruments made by the Minister under the authority of the Act.

Key Provisions

The Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1955 establish the parameters and requirements for the handling, packing, stowage, and carriage of dangerous goods on ships in Australian waters. Under section 4(1), the Minister is empowered to determine specific requirements that dangerous goods and their handling must comply with, thereby providing flexibility to address various safety concerns associated with different types of dangerous goods. These requirements, once determined, are published in the Commonwealth Gazette and tabled in Parliament (sections 4(2)(a) and (b)). Persons intending to ship dangerous goods must provide notice of their intention in a specified format to the relevant authority at least 24 hours prior to shipment, as outlined in section 5. The notice must be delivered to the master, owner, or agent of the ship if the goods are deemed to pose a low risk during handling, or to designated Deputy Directors or their representatives in other cases. This notification ensures that the authorities are adequately informed and can take necessary safety measures. The Regulations impose several restrictions on the carriage of dangerous goods on passenger ships, particularly those carrying more than twelve passengers. Section 6 prohibits the carriage of explosives weighing 20 pounds or more unless they fall under specified classes listed in the Second Schedule, or are distress signal rockets weighing less than one ton, or manufactured fireworks classified as shop goods. Additionally, certain dangerous goods listed in the Third Schedule are prohibited on passenger ships that can carry more than 25 passengers or the number calculated based on the ship's length. These restrictions aim to minimize the risk of accidents and ensure passenger safety. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Regulations can result in significant penalties. For instance, section 6 imposes a penalty of fifty pounds for carrying prohibited explosives or dangerous goods on a passenger ship. These penalties underscore the importance of adhering to the specified requirements and highlight the potential legal consequences of non-compliance.

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Maritime Law
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Regulation
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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.