Who We Are
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, navigation safety, marine environment protection, search and rescue, and marine domain awareness.
Maritime Administration Division
Responsible for maritime standards, seafarer qualifications and crewing, pilotage administration, the ships registry, and enforcement.
Corporate Services Division
Internal support: finance, human resources, ICT, and administration.
Key Government Policies & Plans
- PNG National Transport Strategy 2024–2033
- PNG Digital Transformation Policy
- PNG Maritime Transport Policy
- National Maritime Security Strategy