Branches

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Maritime Operations

Maritime Operations Branch is responsible for the following safety, legislative, compliance, education and support functions:

• Educating users on safe boating through the issue of licences, educational programs, establishing and supporting user groups
• Vessel registration, mooring management
• Licensing of hire and drive operations
• Marine communications
• Maintaining a State-wide system of navigation aids and signs
• Ensuring compliance with environmental legislation on the State's waterways
• Compliance with maritime legislation on all navigable waterways in the State
• Inspection of vessels in commercial use and inspection of public ferry wharves
• Certification of commercial crew who meet national standards for skills and training
• Funding for local government and community groups for boating infrastructure
• licensing of aquatic events and the on-water coordination of key ones such as the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and Sydney's New Year's Eve Fireworks and Australia Day celebrations
• Cleaning litter and debris from the waters and foreshores of Sydney Harbour, and the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers.

Maritime Operations has a regional service delivery network in 33 local offices, organised in six regions:

• North Coast,
• South Coast,
• Hunter / Inland
• Murray / Inland
• Sydney
• Hawkesbury/Broken Bay Regions.

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Property, Planning and Infrastructure

The Maritime Property, Planning and Infrastructure Branch is responsible for the development, management and use of wetlands and dryland property areas, valued at around $1.8 billion. These assets include the beds of the State’s major ports - Sydney Harbour and its tributaries, Botany Bay, Newcastle Harbour, and Port Kembla Harbour. The Branch is also responsible for maintaining and developing maritime structures, including commuter ferry and charter vessel wharves in Sydney Harbour, leading a maritime survey program, and managing a maritime geospatial information system.

Commercial, Domestic and Survey Section

The Commercial, Domestic and Survey Section is responsible for negotiating and establishing commercial, community and domestic leases for occupations of maritime property. This includes putting in place operational arrangements to secure a fair return for the public on the occupation of land while ensuring appropriate commercial investment in the provision of maritime facilities.

The Section also undertakes maritime survey activities including cadastral, hydrographic and engineering surveys, the subdivision of maritime land title, and the determination of mean high water mark.

Corporate, Government and Assets Section

The Corporate, Government and Assets Section is responsible for negotiating tenure agreements and managing development projects on land associated with the three port corporations and large private sector corporations.

The Section is the central contact for all property dealings involving other State government agencies, including operational accommodation matters.  It also coordinates property acquisitions, the management of owned property assets, and maintenance of property entries on the Government’s property asset register.

Property Administration Section

The Property Administration Section is responsible for the management of relationships and business transactions associated with the administration of existing government, corporate, commercial, domestic and community leases, including invoicing tenants and rental reviews.

Other section functions include insurance claims, fencing of unleased lands, and processing requests to film on maritime land.

Planning, Environment and Spatial Information Section

The Planning, Environment and Spatial Information Section is responsible for meeting obligations under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, including processing development applications as a consent authority under the Sydney Harbour Catchment (Regional Environmental Plan) 2005. 

The mapping and spatial information tasks of the Section include the collection, processing, maintenance and distribution of geospatial information, production of boating maps, and development and implementation of on-line systems for access to maritime geospatial databases.

Built Environment Section

The Built Environment Section develops and maintains maritime structures such as jetties, wharves, and seawalls and coordinates the remediation of contaminated lands.

The Section is responsible for maintaining commuter wharves, charter vessel wharves and other maritime structures in Sydney, Newcastle, Port Kembla and Eden. The Section is currently delivering the Sydney Harbour commuter wharf upgrade program to meet disability access requirements and improve commuter wharf facilities and amenity. 

The Section manages leads in project management and procurement systems, manages periodic maintenance contracts, undertakes regular inspections of assets, provides engineering support, and investigates, scopes, implements and verifies project works.

Strategic Property Development

Responsible for the strategic development of Maritime’s land, adjoining the major harbours of NSW, for maritime purposes.
Sites currently overseen include:

• Superyacht Marina at Rozelle Bay;
• Blackwattle Bay;
• Berrys Bay; and
• Homebush Bay West

Full details of all projects can be found here.

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Governance & Executive support

The Governance and Executive support Branch comprises the following:

• Communication and education, including maritime media liaison, operational stakeholder communications, communication support for major maritime events, maintaining the maritime internet, maritime partnerships program, and the implementation of marine safety media campaigns
• Ministerial and Executive support functions: including divisional input into Chief Executive and Ministerial correspondence, briefings and Parliamentary business, and administrative support to the Deputy Chief Executive, Maritime Services
• Operational risk management, governance and assurance functions, including the development of operational risk plans; operational procedures and implementing corruption prevention programs relating to Maritime Services
• Business planning and performance reporting
• Investigation of incidents within NSW waterways; and provides expert advice within Maritime Services and external agencies such as the Police and the Office of Transport Safety Investigations
• Maritime Security – supporting commercial vessel safety by ensuring guidelines are included in safety management systems

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