Waikato Regional Council is urging boaties to take extra care after a boat overturned attempting to cross the Tairua bar, in the Coromandel Peninsula, earlier today.

The 5.5 metre McKay aluminium boat rolled about 6.40am with two people on board. The skipper has told the council's Maritime Services team they were both wearing lifejackets at the time.

After hitting a large wave, the stern took on water which caused the vessel to capsize. Both people on board were able to swim to shore unassisted.

An ambulance attended but there were no injuries reported.

The situation was attended by Coastguard, the Waikato Regional Council Harbourmaster, Police Search and Rescue, Maritime New Zealand and Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

The vessel is submerged in Shoe Bay awaiting salvage efforts.

Tairua is a notoriously dangerous bar and has been deadly in the past, says Waikato Regional Council. Boaties should be aware of the serious risks of crossing a bar and the general recommendations for safety.

• Never cross near low tide. Waves are significantly larger, the water is shallow and more turbulent, meaning your risk of capsizing is far greater.
• Wear your lifejacket. These are legally required on ALL vessels crossing a bar, regardless of the vessel's length.
• Log a bar watch with Coastguard. You can do this via VHF, or by calling *500 from a mobile. Once you're in the water it's too late. Take 2 minutes to log a bar watch and then make your crossing knowing someone is looking out for you.
• Check the weather. Huge swells, high winds and generally poor conditions are indicators that you should stay on shore.
• Know the bar you're crossing. The Waikato region has several bars, each is very different, and each comes with its own unique risks. If you're attempting a bar for the first time, ask a local or get in touch with the local Coastguard for advice before you tackle it.

For those considering crossing the Tairua bar, a video has been produced which provides excellent insight into the unique aspects of this bar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8sCbQt8iMk

Port Marlborough and Marlborough Sounds Marinas are proud to announce that Picton Marina has achieved "Superyacht Ready" accreditation and "Gold Anchor" status from the Marina Industry Association (MIA Australia)

This accreditation highlights Marlborough Sounds Marinas' dedication to providing world-class facilities and exceptional service for superyacht guests, captains, and crew, and follows the "International Clean Marinas" certification for environmental excellence, received last July through MIA and ICOMIA - the International Council of Marine Industry Associations.

The 'Superyacht Ready' accreditation is designed to assist superyacht captains and owners in identifying marinas equipped with the necessary infrastructure, security measures, and services to safely and adequately berth superyachts. To be eligible for this accreditation, Picton Marina first participated in MIA’s Global Gold Anchor program and met specific criteria related to infrastructure suitability, accessibility, security, and service availability.

Marlborough Sounds Marinas Manager, Anouk Euzeby, highlighted the importance of the accreditation, saying:

"This achievement strengthens our ability to position Marlborough as a premier international destination for superyachts in the Southern Hemisphere.With world-class infrastructure, secure facilities, and exceptional marina support services, combined with our location in the heart of some of New Zealand's most stunning scenery and renowned attractions, Marlborough is a must-visit for superyachts in the region.

We have already welcomed several prestigious vessels so far this year, and with this new accreditation, our team looks forward to hosting even more superyachts in Marlborough in the near future."

To support visiting Superyachts, Picton Marina has developed a comprehensive guide, offering detailed information about the marina's facilities and promoting the Marlborough region. This resource promotes regional experiences suited to superyacht clientele and ensures visitors can make the most of their stay. Superyacht visits to Picton Marina provide a welcome boost to the local economy. Guests often explore the region’s attractions, from wine tours and scenic walks to dining at local restaurants. At the same time, crews access marine services for reprovisioning and maintenance, ensuring their vessels are ready for the next stage of their journey. These visits support a wide range of businesses across Marlborough.

Located in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds, Picton Marina offers:

-Berthing Capacity: Picton Marina accommodates vessels up to 50 metres in length and 500GRT. Larger vessels can be accommodated at Port Marlborough's facilities.

-Security Measures: 24/7 monitored CCTV and gated pier access ensure a secure environment for vessels and crew.-Top-tier amenities, including power, water, and waste facilities, to ensure a seamless experience.

-Proximity to Marlborough’s premiere attractions: such as the Queen Charlotte Track and world-class cellar doors and vineyards.

For more information or to book a berth, boaties can contact the friendly Marina team at:
Phone: +64 3 520 3390
Email: picton@msmarinas.co.nz 
Website: www.marlboroughmarinas.co.nz/picton
 

Media release issued on behalf of the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group 

The port industry enthusiastically welcomes the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for loading and unloading cargo at ports and on ships coming into effect today, November 29.

For the first time, all commercial ports in New Zealand now have a code of practice approved by the Minister to follow. The ACOP replaces all other existing industry codes of practice related to stevedoring.

The Port Health and Safety Leadership Group - made up of ports and stevedoring companies, the Port Industry Association, unions and Maritime NZ - is pleased to see one of its key priorities under its multi-year work programme to address inconsistency of practice and reduce harm on New Zealand’s ports, come into force.

The ACOP has now been signed by the Minister for Work Place Relations and Safety, Hon Brooke van Velden, and the Associate Minister for Transport, Hon Matt Doocey.

A criticism of the current health and safety system from several industries’ leaders has been that it does not have the regulations, approved codes of practice and guidance to support businesses to understand what they need to do to comply with the law.

Leadership Group Chair, Director of Maritime NZ, Kirstie Hewlett, said the ACOP provides assurance and clarity under the Health and Safety at Work Act. If a business can show what they have done is equivalent to or better than the requirements in the ACOP, then they are likely to be meeting the test of what is reasonably practicable under HSWA.

Maritime NZ will take the ACOP into account when undertaking inspections, assessments and investigations and when deciding the appropriate enforcement action. Courts may also take the ACOP into account in their deliberations.

The National President of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, Aubrey Wilkinson, said the focus is rightly on loading and unloading ships because that is the most dangerous activity on ports - it is when most incidents and injuries happen.

Port Industry Association Chair, Pat Kirk, said development of the ACOP has been strongly supported by the port sector. It has involved a large amount of work and effort from the sector, there is collective buy-in of the sector to it, and it will make a significant impact on the health and safety on ports.

Demonstrating the level of buy-in, and collaborative approach taken, the ACOP took only 15 months to develop and reach agreement on. In addition, many businesses on ports are already considering how to implement and integrate it into their health and safety systems and processes, and some are already implementing it.

We would like to thank all the industry and WorkSafe subject matter experts who gave their time to the development of the ACOP.

Alongside the ACOP, the Leadership Group are working on further guidance, case studies, and educative tools and training to support implementation of the ACOP.

- Port Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan

In 2022 the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group developed the Port Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan so that we could target actions based on evidence.

The plan pulls together information from fatalities, injuries, incidents, near-misses, regulatory notifications, investigations and assessments, worker surveys, and worker interviews and workshops to build a picture of what drives serious harm on ports - who it is happening to, and why. It lays out six key interventions where changes can have a real impact:

Putting in place an ACOP for loading and unloading cargo to implement more consistent regulatory standards for some of the highest risk activities on ports. (ACOP approved.)

Implementing the Fatigue Risk Management System: Good Practice Guidelines to reduce the risks associated with worker fatigue. (All businesses on ports have started implementing a fatigue risk management system.)

Recommending the Government extend Maritime NZ’s designation to cover the whole port. (Government has amended HSWA. Maritime NZ’s extended designation takes effect July 1.)

Action to improve training and workforce issues. (Initial micro credentials have been referred to NZQA for review and approval, and a roles and skills matrix is being developed, which will identify additional training and build career pathways.)

Work to improve incident reporting, notifications, insights and learning across the Ports, so the sector can get better real time understanding of harm and take necessary action. (Work is underway.)

Actions to ensure there are easier ways of sharing good practice that the sector is doing here, or overseas, to encourage continuous improvement on Ports. (Work is underway.)

"We owe it to those working on ports every day, the people who have died, their families, and those who have been injured, to improve safety on ports."

The Leadership Group:
Jon Moore Chief Executive, North Port
Roger Gray Chief Executive, Port of Auckland
Gavin Hudson Chief Executive, C3 Limited
Aubrey Wilkinson National President Rail and Maritime Transport Union
Carl Findlay National Secretary, Maritime Union of New Zealand
Pat Kirk Chair, Port Industry Association
Paul Cameron Chief Executive, ISO Limited
Kirstie Hewlett Leadership Group Chair and Director of Maritime NZ

Work is being undertaken today to ensure the grounded barge, Manahau remains stable at Westport's Carters Beach.

The near 100m barge grounded at about midnight last night, at the time it had 11 people on-board. The crew remain on the vessel and are safe. The barge is intact, no items have been lost, and there are no leaks. There was no cargo onboard at the time.

Following a discussion with local and regional authorities, Maritime NZ is now the lead response agency for the incident.

This means it will oversee the government response work being undertaken in relation to the vessel and the grounding.

Several Maritime NZ personnel are heading to Westport to support the effort, while a Maritime Incident Response Team has been set up in Wellington, and is being supported by other staff round the country.

Maritime NZ's Incident Controller, Blair Simmons says the key priority has been to stabilise the vessel and then to consider how to move it in a way which looks after the safety of people and the environment. This will require careful planning and analysis, and it will take some time to put things in place. As the vessel remains stable so there is time for this to occur.

"The work to date has involved our people, representatives from the vessel’s operator, as well as from local and regional authorities.

"This afternoon, diggers have been on the beach, creating anchor points to lock the vessel in place.

"This stops it from potentially drifting towards rocks at high-tide," Mr Simmons says.

All work is being undertaken during daylight hours.

The operator has informed Maritime NZ it is has spoken to salvage experts, and is planning on bringing a specialist tug vessel down from Taranaki to support a potential re-float later this week.

"Re-floating the vessel will be a delicate operation, and we will closely review any plans being put in place by the operator," Blair Simmons says.

Maritime NZ strongly discourages anyone from climbing on the vessel, or getting close while machinery is working around it.

"This is an operational area, and people need to stay away for their own safety," Blair Simmons says.

A Maritime NZ investigation into the grounding is underway.

"We also want to thank the hard working staff at Buller District Council and the West Coast Regional Council for their efforts in this response," Blair Simmons says.

The next update will be at about 10 AM Monday, 2 September.

We are not in a position to undertake interviews at this stage. 

A detention notice has been issued by Maritime NZ on the vessel, Shiling.

The ship is currently at Wellington’s CentrePort.

The detention of the vessel prohibits it from leaving Wellington Harbour until a number of conditions are satisfied.

The imposed conditions relate to repairs and maintenance, seaworthiness, sea trials, and arrangements for departure.

These conditions are in place to ensure safety is at the forefront of the next journey the vessel undertakes through New Zealand waters.

Several of the conditions will require the flag state and the vessel’s classification society to provide evidence to Maritime NZ confirming that the Shiling can safely operate, before it can be released.

The notice of detention does not stop the vessel from being moved to different berths or locations around CentrePort or the harbour. This will be managed by the port in conjunction with the Wellington Harbourmaster.

The owners of Shiling are responsible to ensure the conditions imposed by Maritime NZ are satisfied prior to the vessel being released from detention. 
 

The Shiling will shortly be piloted into berth at Wellington’s CentrePort.

It has taken about 24 hours for the ocean going tug, the Skandi Emerald to tow the vessel from Tasman Bay to Wellington.

From this vessel losing power on 12 May, to it coming into Wellington today, this has been a complex operation, involving a significant number of people and organisations, not just here, but around the world, Incident Controller David Billington says.

"From its call for assistance on that morning, through to CentrePort’s pilotage into berth, we have seen response agencies, the owners of the Skandi Emerald , international insurers, the owners and harbourmasters have worked tirelessly to support this tow.

This is a 290+ metre vessel and there are a lot of variables to manage when planning its movements.

"This includes, weather, other vessels and berthing availabilities.

"We saw on the weekend there were rough conditions forecast at its anchorage at Tasman Bay, and Nelson Harbourmaster supported this operation by allowing the Shiling to be towed to a point of shelter," David Billington says.

Maritime NZ also checked in on the crew of 24 during the period the vessel was without power.

The Incident Response Team will be standing down when the vessel is berthed.

Maritime NZ understands an agreement has been made for the Shiling to be towed to Wellington.

The vessel was safely anchored at Tasman Bay overnight.

The ship owner has been working to confirm a suitable location, the vessel can safely anchor or berth. Due to its size, and current location, the owner’s agent contacted Wellington’s CentrePort.

Maritime NZ’s Incident Controller Kenny Crawford says the Maritime Incident Response Team is actively monitoring the situation.

"While the decisions around passage, anchoring locations and towage are managed by the owners of the Shiling, Maritime NZ has oversight, and is liaising with CentrePort and the Wellington Harbour Master to ensure the process is managed safely.

"The Skandi Emerald is a very capable towage vessel, and its crew are highly experienced in traversing conditions such as what could be experienced in the Cook Strait," he says.

As the passage plan is developed, a risk assessment will be undertaken and the Maritime Incident Response Team will have oversight to ensure it is done correctly.

Payment for the tow is managed by the Shiling’s owners and their insurers.

A formal decision has not yet been made on when the vessel will leave Tasman Bay or when it is likely to arrive in Wellington.

The Wellington Harbourmaster and CentrePort management are in regular contact with Maritime NZ about the Shiling’s passage to Wellington.  
 

The Shiling is now connected to the ocean going tug the Skandi Emerald

At 8.27 AM 12 May, the Shiling, a Singaporean flagged vessel put out a request for assistance, after it lost power and steering.

The vessel is situated about 22 nautical miles North North-West of Farewell Spit.

At 11 am 12 May, it put out a mayday call, due to the vessel rolling severely in heavy seas.

The Skandi Emerald arrived on scene at 4.27 PM, and started connecting up with the Shiling at 4.42 PM.

The vessel is under tow by the Skandi Emerald and is now sitting into wind.

The mayday call has now been lifted and rescue response assets are being released.

The Skandi Emerald will tow the Shiling to a safe location, where it can anchor and be assessed for repair.

A Maritime New Zealand Incident Response Team which was stood up to manage the incident will continue to monitor the situation. A Maritime NZ investigation is underway.

This will be the final update unless anything changes. 
 

Maritime NZ’s RCCNZ is responding to a Mayday request from the Singaporean cargo vessel the Shiling.

It put out the Mayday call about 11 am, 12 May. It initially put a request through for assistance at 8.27 am.

The vessel is situated 22 nautical miles North North-West of Farewell Spit.

RCCNZ is communicating with the vessel.

An ocean going tug out of Taranaki has dispatched to tow the vessel to a safe location. It is expected to be on at the location of the Shiling by 4 PM, 12 May (today).

Due to where the vessel is, there is no risk of it running aground prior to the arrival of the ocean going tug.

There is 24 crew on-board.

Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre NZ has placed assets from NZ Police, Coastguard, and St John Airdesk on standby and will be tasking the assets as required.  
 

After two complex investigations, Maritime NZ has this month filed charges in relation to two fatal incidents at ports last April.

Investigations started last April after the deaths of Atiroa Tuaiti at the Ports of Auckland on 19 April, 2022 and Donald Grant at the Port of Lyttelton on 25 April of that year.

In relation to the death of Mr Tuaiti, Maritime NZ has filed one charge against Wallace Investments (the stevedoring company). It is facing a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). Mr Tuaiti died after being crushed under a container while working on a docked container ship.

Maritime NZ has filed two HSWA charges against Lyttelton Port Company in relation to the death of Donald Grant on 25 April 2022. Mr Grant died after he was struck by coal which was being loaded into a hatch of a vessel.

Maritime NZ Director Kirstie Hewlett says on behalf of Maritime NZ, I want to offer our sincere condolences to the families of both Mr Tuaiti and Mr Grant.

"Everyone deserves to go home safely from work each day."

"In addition to our prosecutions, as a response to these tragic deaths, the Minister of Transport, Hon Michael Wood, requested that the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group provide him with advice on a collective set of actions, including regulatory standards, to address harm on New Zealand ports. This resulted in the development of the Ports Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan."

"The work the leadership group has undertaken demonstrates port safety is a priority in New Zealand."

"Since the Action Plan was developed, a range of actions are well underway to improve port safety," she says.

Notes to editors:

As the two matters are now before the courts, we are unable to discuss them further until proceedings are complete.

The charges were filed under Section 48 of the HSWA. It carries a maximum penalty of a $1.5 million fine.

More information on the Ports Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan can be found here. 
 

With autumn now here, Maritime NZ is reminding boaties to be prepared and make the adjustment to cooler weather.

Easter is often a busy time on the water around Aotearoa for recreational craft users; however, with the days now shorter and cooler than what many experienced over the back end of summer, Maritime NZ wants those heading out to think about the risks.

"There are risks all year round, but, we do know the autumnal switch means you need plan your journeys more carefully due to the shorter days, cooler temperatures and potential weather changes," Maritime NZ’s Principal Advisor Recreational Craft Matt Wood says.

Maritime NZ has seen many preventable incidents over the last couple of months, including some resulting in serious injuries.

"Just because you are on holiday mode during a long weekend, doesn’t mean you can just head out, and hope for the best," Matt Wood says.

"Please ensure you wear a properly fitted lifejacket, have waterproof ways to call for help, check the marine weather forecast before to understand the conditions ahead for your journey.

"It doesn’t matter whether you are going out on a kayak or a large recreational boat; these simple steps will make your voyage safer," he says.

Maritime NZ also recommends people think about the risks around locations. We know plenty of people will be travelling for the long weekend, and potentially ending up in areas they are unfamiliar with.

"Whether on a lake, a river, or off the coast, each waterway has its own unique risks. Before you leave the land, do a quick internet search to check the weather conditions (marinemate.co.nz or metservice.co.nz), as well as relevant local information.

"Overconfidence can be one of the biggest risks on the water," Matt Wood says.

However, Maritime NZ research shows the majority of people heading out onto the water, do carry lifejackets, understand the need for two forms of waterproof communication to call for help and are getting better at checking the forecast for the day ahead.

Maritime NZ is really impressed to see an increase in the number of people taking safety seriously.

"We just hope everyone on the water this weekend has a great time with their friends and family and gets home safely at the end of the day," Matt Wood says.

For more information head to saferboating.org.nz 
 

High-resolution mapping has produced the first ever global estimates of coastal habitat damage caused by anchoring.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in port congestion around the world, leading to unprecedented bottlenecks in maritime traffic and intensive anchoring of high-tonnage ships.

Researchers from NIWA, University of Auckland, and Auckland University of Technology wanted to characterise the footprint and extent of anchoring on the seafloor, which has never been quantified before. Using sonars and ship tracking data, they documented the morphology of anchoring outside Picton’s marine port on New Zealand’s South Island, revealing an extensive and persistent physical impact.

They discovered that every time a high-tonnage ship anchors, it can excavate the seafloor up to 80cm, displacing enough sediment to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Comparison data shows that the damage remains for at least 4 years.

Scaled-up globally, this equates to at least 6,000km 2 of impacted seabed. However, this is probably a "substantial underestimate," says the study’s lead author Dr Sally Watson, a marine geophysicist at NIWA and lecturer in marine science at the University of Auckland.

"Picton is a low congestion port but in higher congestion ports, such as Wellington or Long Beach, USA, the footprint extends over a much wider region. In fact, the number could be as high as 20,000km 2 of damaged seabed worldwide," Dr Watson said.

The numbers are comparable to that of trawling because even though trawling occurs over a greater area, anchoring is done much more frequently, for longer, and penetrates more deeply.

"The anchor digs into the seabed and is moved around as the ship drifts on the surface, dragging the chain and causing ‘broomstick-like’ abrasions, killing off marine species and releasing carbon stores from the sediment. This has far-reaching implications for already stressed ecosystems and carbon cycling.

"It seems that this problem is ‘out of sight, out of mind’ because the environmental footprint of anchoring is not yet considered in official reporting of global human impacts on the marine ecosystem," Dr Watson said.

Dr Marta Ribó is a lecturer in marine geology at Auckland University of Technology and is the study’s co-author. She said that new solutions are needed to reduce seafloor destruction from anchors.

"The impact of regular anchoring worldwide likely represents a major driver of shallow marine habitat degradation. This brings up questions about how anchor sites are chosen - do we know what kind of habitat anchors are being dropped onto or is it done without regard to what’s below the surface?

"We also don’t yet have a snapshot of cruise ships because our analysis was done during the height of the pandemic when most had ceased operating. Cruise ships are large and numerous, and they often drop anchor in pristine areas. Now knowing what we do, we must ask ourselves whether we want to encourage this kind of tourism," Dr Ribó said.

Dr Watson said that their research has unearthed the ‘hidden cost’ of ship anchoring.

"To meet the climate goals outlined in COP26, countries have agreed to work towards a net-zero goal for global maritime shipping. As seaborne trade is projected to quadruple by 2050 and cruise ships begin to sail once more, new solutions are needed to avoid irreversible damage to marine habitats caused by this unreported problem," she said.

The study was published in Nature Scientific Reports.