40 Series Reform project

Latest updates

Project overview

The intention is to re-organise the rules into a number of different topic areas and harmonise them across vessel types as much as possible.

At the moment the rules are defined by which vessel type they refer to – passenger; non-passenger; fishing; sailing. This causes duplication and inconsistencies and doesn’t allow the rules to be easily updated to cater for new innovations.

Five goals for the new rules

The approach being taken to reforming the rules has these goals:

• NEW RULES STRUCTURE – Providing a clear rules structure, simple for the sector and regulator to follow.
• OUTCOME-BASED RULES – A set of over-arching rules which give a framework for the sector to work, which are flexible enough to sustain changes to technology and sector practice.
• TRANSPORT INSTRUMENTS CONTAIN DETAIL – Specific requirements are contained in a set of transport instruments which are easier to amend and can be kept up to date with advances in technology.
• CONSOLIDATION AND HARMONISATION – Rules are consolidated wherever possible across commercial passenger carrying, non-passenger carrying, sailing and fishing vessels to eliminate the inconsistencies that currently exist. We will have a set of rules for all vessels, with specific detail for the different classes only where necessary.
• RISK-BASED APPROACH TO SETTING STANDARDS – Ensuring the rules are commensurate with the risk - so that we don’t over-regulate where it is not necessary, but nor do we under-estimate the risk for the conditions in which a vessel is operating.

Exploring change

This is a big piece of work and Maritime NZ has spent time gathering information; doing the groundwork to develop a way of organising the rules; and is progressively exploring potential change through the 15 topic areas.

Maritime NZ has been exploring the potential for change on a range of topics, including Life-Saving Appliances, Fire Protection, Electrical, Survey and Certificate of Survey , and Stability, Drainage and Freeboard. Potential changes are now being explored for other key areas, including Watertight and Weathertight Integrity, and Machinery.

Working with technical experts in each of these areas, we are identifying possible ways to resolve issues for vessels entering the commercial fleet and existing vessels in the fleet.

As we identify proposals for each topic area, we are testing key areas of potential change with stakeholders, including surveyors, owners, operators, boat builders, and equipment suppliers. By engaging widely and progressively we expect to be able to develop a more straightforward and user-friendly set of rules for the future.

Maritime New Zealand welcomes comment on this exploratory work. Refer to the exploring change documents page for further information on areas that we are currently seeking comment on.

By providing the opportunity for every group in the sector to engage with the information in ‘bite-sized’ chunks, Maritime NZ wants to get all perspectives. We intend that everyone involved has the chance to raise the issues they want to, as we explore potential changes, before the new rules are formally drafted.

Once the rules are formally drafted there will be a formal public consultation phase.

Introduction of new rules

We will continue to keep the maritime sector updated as we go through the process. The process and timescales are indicated below and we will continually update these with more detail as we go along: