It says "may" be required not must be required.
I know of Australian registered vessels that are positioned or kept in other countries around the world so I agree that if an Australian registered vessel was to be sold or repositioned in another country it should be exported on departure as the website says.

If you receive advice from an ABF officer whose opinion or direction says you must export your vessel, I believe they are acting outside the advice their website is still stating on the matter of exporting your vessel if you are not intending on selling or basing your vessel in another country. If you intend to live aboard and keep cruising or return your vessel home when your cruise is finished you shouldn't have to burden the ABF with this unnecessary paper work.

The ABF officer I spoke to today in Coffs Harbour is also of the opinion that we need to export our vessel and stated it has always been the case as with taking goods out of the country but was not inforced. It was pointless to carry on any discussion with this officer as he was quite definite and even said the website advice has changed.

It clearly has not changed to advise that every departing vessel must have export documentation lodged.

This is far too much unnecessary red tape so I suggest that anyone intending to depart in the near future, should get clarity further up the food chain from the ABF officer if their opinion involves exporting as part of your clearance procedure.

Contacting your federal local member over this issue could also action better clarity on the ABF website and knowledge by their officers of what is required. Acting this way usually works top down in a government department and I find generally has better outcomes.

A friend departed Adelaide last year to sail solo non stop around the world and didn't face this issue. The only issue he did have was that he couldn't take the ships cat with him. He was told by quarantine he wasn't allowed to bring his cat back into Australia unless he had the necessary clearance papers for his cat issued by another country! But that's a different bureaucracy anyway.

Kankama said..
Thanks Scruzin for all you effort on this. I tried two of your links

Yachts and pleasure craft

Export Advice - Factsheet - Small craft

on your blog post. They don't work for me.

Ambler said..
I think the issue is in consulting individual ABF officers and their opinions on whether a vessel itself is considered a goods item that requires export but the website recognises the vessel as a mode of transport rather than an exportable goods item itself.
I think we need clarification on why every other vessel ie Australian flagged aircraft and ships departing daily for overseas destinations aren't exported (and imported) so why are we being targeted. On the ABF website there is a link to contact the 3 federal ministers that are responsible for the ABF. If enough of us write to the ministers and visit their local federal rep then we should get this resolved and reinstate the way its always been with our vessels.