Signing in & your account

SMS Marine runs in your web browser — there's nothing to install. Open your SMS Marine web address and sign in with your email and password.

Creating an account

New organisation (setting up your account): sign up, then create your organisation and enter the access code you were emailed. This activates your subscription and makes you the Owner.
Joining an existing organisation (crew/master): sign up, then request to join using your organisation's join code (ask your Owner or DPA for it). An Owner or DPA then activates your account and sets your role.

Tip: If a menu item or button you expect is missing, sign out and back in, and refresh the page with Ctrl+Shift+R. This clears an old cached copy of the app.

The dashboard

The dashboard is your home screen, and it's the quickest way to see where you're falling behind on Marine Order 504 (MO 504, also written MO504) compliance. Instead of digging through folders, you open the app and the dashboard tells you what needs attention — which certificates are running out, which skippers or crew are affected, what actions are overdue, and when the vessel last ran a drill. Make it a habit to check it whenever you log in and work down anything highlighted.

The dashboard is per vessel

The dashboard shows the status of the vessel currently selected in the top-left dropdown. If you run more than one vessel, switch between them there to check each one — every vessel has its own certificates, drills and actions.

The four summary cards

Compliance — a percentage from your most recent internal audit (how many checked items conformed), so you can see at a glance how the vessel's system is tracking.
Certs expiring — how many crew certificates are due to expire soon, with a separate count of any already expired.
Overdue actions — corrective actions that are past their due date and still open.
Last drill — the date the vessel last completed an emergency drill, so you can see whether you're due to run the next one.

"Attention needed" — your compliance to-do list

Below the cards is a list of everything that needs action on this vessel, each with the person or record it relates to:

Expired certificates — shown in red, with the certificate and the crew member's name (your skippers and crew appear here by name, so you can see exactly whose ticket has lapsed).
Certificates expiring soon — shown in amber, with the person's name and the expiry date.
Overdue corrective actions — the action number and what it was for.
Outstanding maintenance defects — anything recorded as still needing rectification.
Incidents under investigation — incidents not yet closed out.

If nothing needs attention, you'll see a green "No outstanding alerts for this vessel" — a quick confirmation you're on top of it.

How the certificate warnings work

Certificate warnings step up as the expiry date approaches, so nothing lapses by surprise:

First notice — 60 days before expiry. The certificate is flagged as expiring soon (amber) on the dashboard and the Crew screen. Sixty days is enough lead time to book a course, medical or renewal before it runs out.
Expired. Once the expiry date passes, it turns red and moves to the top of your attention list — the crew member should not work on that ticket until it's renewed.

Skippers & crew: because certificate alerts carry the person's name, the dashboard doubles as a check on who is current. A skipper whose ticket or medical is inside 60 days will show here first as "expiring soon", then as "expired" — giving you time to arrange the renewal or roster around it.

Why the early warning matters: certificate renewals — medicals, tickets, first-aid — often need a booking and can't be done overnight. The 60-day lead time is your early warning to act while there's still time, rather than discovering an expired ticket on the morning of a job.

Choosing a vessel

Most records belong to a specific vessel. Use the vessel dropdown at the top-left to choose which vessel you're working on. Screens like Crew, Logbook, Maintenance and Emergency Plans always show the records for the selected vessel, so set this first.

Roles & who can do what

Everyone signs in to the same system, but what they can do depends on their role.

Role	What they can do
Owner	Full control: manage the organisation, vessels, users, branding and subscription. Only an Owner can permanently delete a draft record.
DPA (Designated Person Ashore)	Same day-to-day management as the Owner — vessels, users, all records.
Master	Create and update records on their vessel (logs, drills, maintenance, incidents, etc.).
Crew	Create and update everyday records on their vessel.
Auditor	Read-only — can view and print everything, but cannot change records.
Inspector	Read-only — for an AMSA surveyor or external reviewer.

Crew & certificates

Manage your crew, their qualifications and certificates. Track expiry dates and get alerts when renewals are due.

Risk assessments

Conduct and record risk assessments for your vessel operations. Document hazards, controls, and residual risk levels.

Training & drills

Record training sessions, emergency drills, and competency assessments for your crew.

Toolbox talks

Document daily or weekly toolbox talks and safety briefings with your crew.

Maintenance

Track vessel maintenance schedules, defects, and repairs to keep your vessel seaworthy and compliant.

Logbook

Record daily vessel operations, weather conditions, and significant events in the logbook.

Incidents

Report and investigate incidents, near-misses, and accidents. Track corrective actions to closure.

Corrective actions

Manage corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) from identification through implementation and verification.

Audits & reviews

Conduct internal audits of your SMS using the audit checklist. Generate compliance reports for AMSA inspections.

Emergency plans

Maintain emergency response plans and procedures for your vessel.

Document library

Store and manage your SMS policies, procedures, forms, and templates in one central location.

Uploading files

Upload documents, certificates, photos, and other files to support your SMS records.

Edit, archive & delete

Modify records, archive completed items, or delete draft records as needed.

Printing & the Print Pack

Print individual records or generate a complete Print Pack for AMSA audits and inspections.

Reports

Generate compliance reports, audit summaries, and other reports from your SMS data.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

For additional support and frequently asked questions, contact Mid Coast Marine Services at info@mcmsnsw.com.au or call +61 480 222 169.