Marine Towage 2025 Pay Rates (MA000050)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Marine Towage covers employees on tugboats and towage vessels, including tug masters, tug engineers, deckhands, and linesmen employed in harbour and coastal towage operations. If you work on a tugboat assisting ships in and out of ports, this award applies to you. It covers approximately 2,000 workers across Australia.

This award does NOT cover employees on dredges (Dredging Industry Award, MA000085), port authority employees not on towage vessels (Port Authorities Award, MA000051), or general seafarers (Seagoing Industry Award, MA000122). See clause 4.1 for the full coverage terms.

How classification levels work

Classifications cover roles from deckhand through to tug engineer, mate, and tug master. Rates reflect the maritime qualifications and experience required for each role.

Key features of this award

Marine towage operations run 24/7 to service shipping movements. The award includes provisions for extended hours work, recognising that tug crew may be required to work beyond standard shift lengths when assisting vessels.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.

Refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000050 for current dollar amounts for each classification level. Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38. Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25.

Penalty Rates

Penalty rate multipliers from the Fair Work Commission penalty rate schedule for MA000050. All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate.

The award specifies penalty rates ranging from 100% to 250% depending on when and how you work.

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees

Casual Employees

Penalty rate categories in this award

The following penalty rate descriptions apply under MA000050:

• Extended hours
• Monday to Saturday - after 2 hours
• Monday to Saturday - first 2 hours
• Ordinary hours
• Public holidays (ordinary hours)
• Public holidays - all day
• Sunday - all day

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. Refer to the specific award clauses for exact percentages applicable to each classification level and employment type.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Casual worker on a Sunday

A casual employee working a 4 hours-hour minimum shift on a Sunday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000050 pay guide
• Sunday casual rate: base rate x Sunday casual penalty percentage
• Minimum payment: Sunday casual rate x 4 hours hours
• Clause reference: refer to casual penalty rates clause

Example 2: Full-time worker on a public holiday

A full-time employee working an 8-hour public holiday shift.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000050 pay guide
• Public holiday rate: base rate x public holiday percentage (up to 250%)
• Total: public holiday rate x 8 hours
• Clause reference: refer to public holiday clause

Example 3: Part-time worker with overtime

A part-time employee who works 2 hours beyond their rostered hours on a weekday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000050 pay guide
• Overtime rate: base rate x overtime percentage
• Clause reference: refer to overtime clause

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are extended hours in marine towage?

Extended hours penalty rates apply when tug crew are required to work beyond their ordinary shift to complete a towage operation, such as when a ship arrival is delayed.

2. Do tugboat crew get public holiday rates?

Yes, work on public holidays attracts penalty rates. As towage services operate 365 days a year, public holiday work is common.

3. Is there a difference between harbour and coastal towage?

The award covers both harbour towage (within port limits) and coastal towage (between ports). The same classifications and rates generally apply.

4. What is the minimum shift length under this award?

The minimum engagement for casual and part-time employees is 4 hours per shift. Even if you are sent home early, you must be paid for the minimum shift length.

5. How do I check my exact pay rate?

Use our free calculator or refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000050. You can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for free advice.

Check Your Rate

Working in marine towage and want to know your exact pay rate? Use our free calculator to check.

Check your pay rate now

Select your classification, employment type, and the days and times you work.

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• creator: Fair Work Commission
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Breadcrumb Schema

Home > Awards > Marine Towage (MA000050)

Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.