Oil pollution readiness and response strategy and national contingency plan

New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Readiness and Response Strategy (2022-2026)

The New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Readiness and Response Strategy (the Strategy) sets the overarching, strategic framework for how Maritime NZ and our partners will respond to a marine oil pollution incident.

The Strategy:

• Describes the actions to be taken in response to a marine oil spill and promotes a standard and coordinated national readiness and response system
• Provides Maritime NZ with the strategic intent and direction to shape how New Zealand maintains and enhances its capability to respond to marine oil spills.
• The Strategy is a core element of Maritime NZ’s contribution to government outcomes for managing the health, safety, and environmental risks from maritime activities in New Zealand’s marine environment.

The four goals in the Strategy, with their supporting objectives, target the key areas Maritime NZ believes are critical for maintaining and improving New Zealand’s overall response system. These are:

• industries and regional councils’ capability to respond to spills
• New Zealand’s ability to respond to a significant spill
• the importance of having the right expertise and information
• the relationships and partnerships we need to implement, support, and improve our system.

The goals and objectives shape future capability requirements for New Zealand and Maritime NZ and the resources needed to give effect to this capability.

Review and publication

Under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, Maritime NZ is required to regularly review the Strategy. It was last revised in 2022 and is currently under review.6.

National Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan (2020)

The National Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan (the National Plan) gives effect to the Strategy by outlining the operational aspects of marine oil pollution response.

There are a range of National Plan supporting documents that provide detail on response activities. Each of these documents is categorised as a policy, procedure, guideline or advisory. There are approximately 30 supporting documents, which are reviewed in alignment with the National Plan.

The National Plan is also supported by documents known as Special Area Information, which contain information specific to location or area, for example the Sub-Antarctic Islands.

Review and publication

Under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, Maritime NZ is required to regularly review the National Plan.

The next review will follow the publication of the new Strategy.

Oil Pollution Advisory Committee

The Maritime Transport Act 1994 establishes the authority, functions and membership of the Oil Pollution Advisory Committee (OPAC)

OPAC is made up of representatives from regional councils, port companies, shipping, the fishing and oil industries and other government agencies. Members are appointed by the Minister of Transport, and their role is to advise us on:

• the New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Readiness and Response Strategy
• the fixing and levying of oil pollution levies
• use of the Oil Pollution Fund
• other marine oil pollution and response issues.