Aids to navigation cannot be installed, altered or removed without the approval of the Director of Maritime New Zealand.

This is stipulated under Section 200(7) of the, Maritime Transport Act 1994. It requires that "no person may erect or place a navigational aid, alter the character of a navigational aid, or alter or remove the position of a navigational aid, without the approval of the Director of Maritime New Zealand".

The people or organisations who are likely to seek approval to install, alter or remove an aid to navigation are:

harbourmasters
port companies
marina owners
field staff working for the Department of Conservation or the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research
those involved in oil field exploration and development.

Application process to install, alter or remove an aid to navigation

This a two-step process:

Apply to carry out the work – Form 16006
Confirm that the work has been completed – Form 16006C.

To install, alter or remove any aid to navigation, you must first apply to Maritime New Zealand using the form below.

Application to install, alter or remove an aid to navigation
Application to install, alter or remove an aid to navigation [PDF: 55KB, 2 pages]

Please post or faxcompleted form with any attachments to:
The Senior Nautical Advisor
Maritime New Zealand
PO Box 27006, Wellington
Fax number: (04) 494 1263
Email: operations@maritimenz.govt.nz

Important points to note when making an application(s):

one completed form is required for EACH aid to navigation
please supply any supporting information that may be relevant to the application (such as tidal information, copies of resource consents, etc) to help assess the application as quickly as possible
all applications must be signed by the local harbourmaster or harbour authority to signify that they are aware of the application and support it
where any aid to navigation is to be erected or installed on another person’s property, the person or organisation making the application must first have gained permission from that other person in respect of their property.

Fee

There is a processing fee for each application based on an hourly rate. The fee is based on Schedule 1 of the Shipping (Charges) Regulations 2000 (1 November 2008). An invoice will be sent to the applicant once an application has been approved.

Form 16006 help

Click here for online help for completing the application form.

Responsibility for aids to navigation while an application is being made

The person or organisation making an application must ensure that they remain responsible for the continued maintenance and upkeep of the aid to navigation(s) in all respects and at all times while the application is being assessed and processed.

If the person or organisation making an application is informed that the aid to navigation under application is out of order, they need to rectify the problem within an appropriate time frame.

Approval conditions and expiry

The Director’s approval to install, alter or remove an aid to navigation is made on the condition that the work is completed within a certain timeframe. The expiry date of the approval is stated on a copy of the approval which is sent to the applicant.

A new form (Aids to navigation: Completion Form – Condition to the approval to install, alter or remove an aid to navigation – MNZ 16006C) is also sent to the applicant at the same time. This form gives the MNZ approval number and expiry date of approval.

Expiry of the approval before the work is completed and before form MNZ 16006C is returned may require the applicant to re-apply for approval. Any re-application may incur additional fees.

Confirm completion of work

Maritime New Zealand, Land Information New Zealand and mariners need to know when the proposed work has actually been done so that notices about navigation aids are timely and accurate.

The form “Aids to navigation: Completion Form – Condition to the approval to install, alter or remove an aid to navigation – MNZ 16006C” is sent to the applicant when approval is granted. The form must now be filled in and returned for every aid to navigation for which approval has been granted.

The form will verify that the approved work has actually been done, the date, the final measured position plus other details and photographic evidence.

Notice to mariners

Application approvals and updates to related nautical charts are published by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) in their fortnightly Notice to Mariners (NTMs).

New Zealand Notices to Mariners (NTMs) [Land Information New Zealand]