Operating limits explained
Operating limits define the areas where vessels can operate and where different seafarer competencies apply. Training, skills, and experience requirements for specific areas are set with reference to these limits.
This page explains the main operating limits under Maritime Rules Part 20 and how they link to seafarer certification requirements.
Key changes made to operating limits under the current Maritime Rules Part 20 include:
-
introducing a specified limit to cater for very restricted operations close to shore
-
retaining existing defined inshore limits and adding three new defined inshore limits
-
removing the prohibition on assigning an inshore limit to an individual vessel for the Cook Strait
-
redefining the coastal limit as a uniform 50 nautical miles (NM) from the coasts of New Zealand and the Chatham Islands
-
extending the offshore limit to the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
-
extending the unlimited area from the new offshore limit
-
allowing port companies and local authorities to obtain extended enclosed limits.
Operating limits are defined mainly by distance from the coast. In some cases, they are also defined by distance up and down the coast. New Zealand’s international maritime obligations are taken into account when setting limits and related competency requirements.
-
Specified limit – a permit allowing specific, very restricted operations close to shore
-
Enclosed – enclosed‑waters limits (existing enclosed limit)
-
Inshore – existing defined inshore limits, with three additional defined inshore limits
-
Inshore fishing – all waters within the 12NM territorial sea used for fishing
-
Coastal – 50NM off the coasts of New Zealand and Stewart Islands and 50NM off the coast of the Chatham Islands
-
Offshore – from the coastal limit out to the outer boundary of the EEZ
-
Unlimited – beyond the EEZ.
Combined areas used for some seafarer certificates:
-
Restricted limits – enclosed and inshore limits
-
Near‑coastal – coastal and offshore limits for STCW certificates
-
Limited waters – coastal and offshore limits for STCW‑F certificates.
Enclosed‑waters limit
The enclosed waters limit includes:
-
specific areas listed in Appendix 1 of Maritime Rules Part 20, and
-
all New Zealand inland waters.
For STCW purposes, this equates to “inland waters or waters within sheltered waters”.
Within enclosed limits:
-
STCW requirements do not apply
-
individual enclosed limits can be expanded to create “pilotage” limits for certain vessels.
Inshore limit
Changes to inshore limits from the previous Part 20 include:
-
slightly extending the Bay of Plenty limit to allow direct transits between Tauranga Harbour and Whakaari (White Island)
-
extending the Foveaux Strait limit westwards to include Codfish Island
-
treating contiguous (adjacent) inshore areas as a single area for certificates, survey, crewing, and equipment
-
allowing surveyors to assign an inshore limit to an individual vessel for Cook Strait (for vessels of at least 12m and less than 500GT).
The inshore limit encompasses “waters closely adjacent to sheltered waters”, as defined by STCW.
Within the inshore limit:
-
STCW requirements do not apply, except for vessels of 3000GT or more operating exclusively within restricted limits.
The coastal limit is:
-
a uniform distance of 50NM from the coasts of North, South, and Stewart Islands, and
-
50NM from the coast of the Chatham Islands.
For New Zealand purposes, the coastal limit lies within “near‑coastal waters”, as defined by STCW.
Within the coastal limit:
-
full STCW requirements apply to certificates required for vessels of 24m or longer.