Operating in NZ waters
For New Zealand Emergency Services
For emergencies requiring Police, Fire, or Ambulance, call 111.
You should also inform the local harbourmaster’s office.
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.
Port State Control
New Zealand undertakes Port State Control (PSC) inspections on foreign ships as a Tokyo MOU member. Our PSC inspectors inspect a foreign ship’s standards in relation to:
- crew welfare
- environmental protection
- safety, and
- Security.
Operating safely at ports
Maritime NZ is the primary health and safety regulator for work onboard ships and at ports.
Find out more about Maritime NZ’s health and safety designation at ports, and the Approved Code of Practice on Loading and Unloading Cargo at Ports.
International cargo
Learn about requirements for international cargo arriving at New Zealand ports.
Oil spills
You must report any sighting of an oil spill, or any involvement in an oil spill, to:
- Maritime NZ
- the relevant harbourmaster.
Navigating the New Zealand coast
When navigating around the New Zealand coast and approaching pilot stations, Maritime NZ recommends Masters follow the routing guidance in:
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.
Security on ships
New Zealand, like many other countries, has adopted the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. The Maritime Security Act 2004 and its associated regulations bring the requirements of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code into legislation.
Environmental requirements
All ships in New Zealand waters must comply with applicable environmental regulations to ensure the sustainable use and protection of our oceans.
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.