Find out why Seaworthiness is Everybody’s Business

Knowing your role and your responsibilities. Knowing that you’re part of a community that communicates to share its respective experiences to ensure success.

Knowledge breeds Confidence, which can be found on many levels and in many ways across Defence. Seaworthiness as a knowledge-centric system (DSwMS) is designed to give justified confidence in our ability to provide effective Defence maritime capability when, where, and how it is needed to meet the defence of Australia and its interests. 

A number of video presentations have been produced to give a voice to those people who are on the front line of making Seaworthiness a reality and allowing them to describe what it means to them as part of their everyday experiences. Seaworthiness to Boatswain’s Mate Able Seaman April Lyle is justified confidence in the crew of HMAS Choules to all support each other as one big team to achieve our mission safely. For Leading Seaman Clearance Diver Christopher Reid, Seaworthiness is justified confidence in communication as part of a clearance dive team, enabling the thorough understanding that leads to a better mission outcome. Corporal Ross Hendrie’s Seaworthiness brings justified confidence that everyone in his LCM8 crew are on the same sheet of paper, has faith in everyone on board, and passes along lessons learned that bring people home safely to friends and family. You can find their individual video stories in more detail at the Office of the Defence Seaworthiness Regulator (ODSwR) website. Seaworthiness is Everybody’s Business.

Seaworthiness-inspired justified confidence is also applicable more broadly than just those Australian Defence Force members applying Defence maritime capability when it is needed. DSwMS affects a wide range of Defence capabilities and the people that ensure those capabilities are ready and effective. A broad cross section of Defence and Industry are impacted. They fall mainly into two easily identified groups separated by a clear jurisdictional authority granted to the Defence Seaworthiness Management System Manual (DSwMSMAN). 

The first group is the Defence Seaworthiness Regulated Community (SwRC). If you’re Defence personnel employed directly in the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) as an Australian Public Service, or Australian Defence Force member, then you’re part of the SwRC. The ADO is jurisdictionally bound by the Seaworthiness Manual in the development, delivery, and maintenance of Defence maritime capability, and as such falls under the oversight of the Office of the Defence Seaworthiness Regulator (ODSwR). Whether you’re in uniform aboard a ship, or in the APS maintaining bases, supply lines or policy inside the wider Defence, you’re a key part in delivering our Seaworthiness Outcome.

The second group is the Defence Maritime Community (DMC). It incorporates the Defence SwRC alongside Defence Industry that materially support the development, delivery, and maintenance of Defence maritime capability. While large elements of the DMC are outside Defence jurisdiction, a sound knowledge of Seaworthiness in the wider Defence Industry will ensure clear communication of maritime capability requirements into and out of the ADO.  If you’re on a Capability Manager’s project team writing needs statements for new platforms, you’re communicating your Seaworthiness knowledge to large prime contractors and seeking their knowledge in return. If you’re a small to medium enterprise seeking to enter the Defence market to produce materiel or to fill a supply chain, you’re seeking Seaworthiness knowledge of the supported capability to help you better meet Defence’s needs and gain a competitive edge. If you’re a newly qualified tradie looking for work in the Defence maritime industry, Seaworthiness knowledge will help you understand how your efforts in industry positions directly contribute to Australian Defence Forces capabilities in both peace and on operations.  

Seaworthiness knowledge supports clear communication of capability needs across the entire Defence Maritime Community and the One Defence Capability Framework. A common knowledge of Seaworthiness, combined with ongoing clear communication between Defence and Industry at all levels, will increase confidence to the Government and People of Australia that Defence continues to achieve the Seaworthiness outcome. 

The Office of the Defence Seaworthiness Regulator are here assist you with gaining Seaworthiness knowledge. Our website provides a monthly release of awareness materials to all members of the DMC. We are developing basic educational packages that you can contextualise to meet your basic Seaworthiness education needs. We provide Seaworthiness advice to address basic awareness, answer broad questions on preparation for audit and assurance activities, and provide detailed advice on specific Seaworthiness issues in context. Contact us at our website to learn more about starting or expanding your knowledge of Defence Seaworthiness.