Australia’s maritime sector operates within a complex regulatory environment that influences the design, construction and certification of commercial and defence vessels. Understanding how regulatory authorities, flag states and classification societies interact is essential for engineers entering or working within the shipbuilding industry.

This presentation provides an introduction to Australia’s maritime regulatory framework and the key stakeholders that contribute to vessel compliance and safety. Participants will explore the role of International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) members, gain an understanding of the regulatory pathways available to new shipbuilding programs, and examine how systems engineering principles support requirements management, verification and compliance activities.

Through practical examples, attendees will see how regulatory requirements are translated into engineering processes across the shipbuilding lifecycle and how systems engineering contributes to successful project delivery.