In 2018, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) launched the Maritime Safety Plan 2021 (MSP 2021) based on the internationally recognised Safe System approach. This plan set out a comprehensive list of initiatives aimed at reducing fatalities and serious injuries by 30 per cent and at laying the foundation for the long-term target of zero fatalities on the water by 2056.

The Maritime Safety Plan 2026 (MSP 2026) builds on the groundwork achieved through MSP 2021 and continues the Safe System approach. Extensive stakeholder engagement has occurred throughout the drafting of the MSP 2026 through a number of forums and workshops, attended by our key stakeholders including the Boating Industry Association, Marine Rescue Volunteers and members of the Maritime Advisory Council. The Plan details current safety issues and the series of ‘countermeasures’ – the methods that have been developed to address them – over the next five years. TfNSW has analysed safety data such as fatality and injury incidents and developed various countermeasures to reduce or mitigate risks and make every waterway journey as safe as possible.