Amendment
This Part was amended by Maritime Rules Amendments 2025 (No 2). These amendments come into force on 1 December 2025.
Maritime Rules Part 23 - Operational Procedures and Training
What Part 23 applies to
This rule applies to:
- New Zealand commercial ships
- foreign ships that operate on the New Zealand coast or when in a New Zealand port or at a New Zealand offshore terminal
- fishing ships.
Overview of Part 23
Ships must implement various operating procedures and training as set out in Part 23, which aims to manage emergency situations and prevent them from arising in the first place.
The procedures include:
- muster lists
- emergency alarms and drills
- training manuals
- onboard training and emergency instructions
- recording passenger numbers
- contingency planning
- logbook entries
- testing of steering gear
- closing of openings in hull and watertight bulkheads
- issue if navigational warnings
- obligation to relay certain radio messages
- distress signals
- masters discretion for safe navigation
- speed near ice and ship’s routeing.
Materials incorporated by reference in Part 23
On 18 November 2022, the Associate Minister of Transport signed the Maritime Rules (Part 23 and 53) Amendment 2022 which come into force on 22 December 2022.
- clarification of SOLAS Regulation III/19 as adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO by Resolution MSC.1/Circ.1326 and Corr 1.
- guidelines on Safety during Abandon Ship Drills using Lifeboats as adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO by Resolution MSC.1/Circ.1578.
Getting copies of material incorporated by reference
Some materials can be accessed and viewed free online, other material is subject to copyright and can either be purchased from the original source or viewed as an electronic copy at Maritime NZ.
History of Part 23
Amendment
This part was amended by the Maritime Rules (Parts 23 and 53) Amendment 2022 on 18 November 2022. These amendments come into force on 22 December 2022.
Amendment
This part was amended by Maritime Rules (International Omnibus) Amendments 2020 on 31 March 2021.
Amendment
This part was amended by a notice in the New Zealand Gazette on 27 August 2020, noting a change to material incorporated by reference.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Maritime Rules Various Amendments 2019 in December 2019.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Maritime Rules Various Amendments 2016 in November 2016.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Maritime Rules Various SOLAS-related Amendments 2016 in July 2016.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Maritime Rules Various SOLAS-related Amendments 2015.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Maritime Rules Various IMO-related Amendments 2015, in 2015.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Parts 19 and 44: Consequential Amendments in July 2014.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Parts 20, 31, 32, 34 and 35: Consequential Amendments in April 2014.
Amendment
This Part was amended by Maritime Rules Part 21-80 in 2009.
Amendment
This Part was first amended by Maritime Rules Part 20-90 in 2004.
New part comes into force
Part 23 came into force on 18 June 1999, except section 23.16 which came into force 1 July 1999.Part 23 replaced the Shipping (Automatic Pilot and Testing of Steering Gear) Regulations 1988, the Shipping (Closing of Openings in Hulls and in Watertight Bulkheads) Regulations 1989 and the Shipping (Musters and Training) Regulations 1989.Timeline
New part signed
Part 23 was signed into law by the Transport Minister on 10 May 1999.