Operating in NZ waters - Foreign-flagged vessels
Reporting requirements
Masters of vessels visiting New Zealand must report, to Maritime NZ, any equipment failures or potential issues that may affect the performance of the vessel before entering New Zealand waters.
Any non-compliance with any relevant convention must be reported to Maritime NZ without delay.
Any accident, incident and mishap causing serious harm within New Zealand waters must be reported to Maritime NZ as soon as practicable.
To reduce the risk of a maritime incident and resulting marine pollution, some safety zones and a precautionary area have been established around New Zealand. Safety zones include exclusion zones, areas to be avoided and Submarine Cable Protection Areas.
Learn about the legal basis for safety zones, how they are created, what precautionary areas are, and how ships are routed to reduce pollution risk.
Access further information on ports and pilotage.
Maritime Labour Convention and seafarer welfare services
New Zealand is a signatory to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (the MLC), an international treaty adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that sets minimum standards for the health, safety and welfare of seafarers.
Learn more about your responsibilities under the MLC, including which ships it applies to, the key obligations to seafarers and the welfare services available in New Zealand for foreign seafarers visiting New Zealand ports.
Safeguarding ports from quarantinable diseases
Maritime NZ, together with Health New Zealand and Customs, developed the Vessel Management Framework to provide guidance for port and vessel operators, unions, agents, government officials, and the National Public Health Service whenever crew or passengers (international and domestic) at a New Zealand port are suspected of having, or test positive for, a quarantinable disease.
This guidance is based on good practice and aims to enable regular vessel and cargo operations to continue wherever possible.