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Minimum safe crewing requirements for New Zealand SOLAS ships

All New Zealand SOLAS ships that operate under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code must be sufficiently and appropriately crewed for safe operation at all times.
All New Zealand SOLAS ships that operate under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code must be sufficiently and appropriately crewed for safe operation at all times.

This requirement comes from the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and is implemented in New Zealand through Maritime Rules Part 31 – Crewing and watchkeeping.

This page summarises who the requirements apply to, the key obligations, and where to find detailed guidance.

Who this applies to

These requirements apply to owners and masters of New Zealand‑flagged SOLAS ships that operate under the ISM Code.

Key requirements

Owners and masters must ensure that:

  • ships carry enough suitably qualified crew to operate safely and manage identified risks
  • a minimum safe‑crewing assessment is carried out, taking into account factors such as:
  • operating area
  • weather and sea conditions
  • cargo type and operations
  • machinery and equipment
  • fatigue and work/rest arrangements
  • ships that hold a Minimum Safe Crewing Document (MSCD) meet or exceed the specified crewing levels whenever the ship is underway
  • when the ship is not underway, crewing levels follow the crewing assessment rather than the MSCD
  • appropriate watchkeeping arrangements are maintained in line with the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) requirements and Maritime Rules Part 31
  • ships are not left completely unmanned by qualified crew during operations, except when:
  • the ship is in dry dock, and
  • control has been formally handed over to the dockmaster.

More information

For detailed guidance on how minimum safe‑crewing requirements apply in different operational scenarios, including when a ship is considered to be “operating”, see Position Statement 07: Minimum safe-crewing requirements on New Zealand SOLAS ships operating under the ISM Code