We consult widely with the maritime community and general public on a broad range of maritime matters. You can have your say by providing us with comments before the deadline. Each consultation document outlines how to comment.

We are currently consulting on

Part 82: Commercial Jet Boat Operations – River

Part 21: Amendment 2010

Review of offshore oil and gas decommissioning policy

Review of qualifications and operational limits

Review of maritime sewage discharge regulations

Shipboard garbage: reducing the load

Also on this page:

Closed consultations

About the process

For more information

Current consultations

Part 82: Commercial Jet Boat Operations – River

Maritime New Zealand is consulting on draft Maritime Rule Part 82: Commercial Jet Boat Operations – River. This rule part will revoke and replace Section 1 and Appendix 1 of the existing Maritime Rule Part 80: Marine Craft Involved in Adventure Tourism.

Read about Part 82 and make a submission

Part 21: Amendment 2010

Maritime New Zealand is consulting on a proposed amendment to Maritime Rule Part 21, which will define the approval of Safe Ship Management organisations as constituting a maritime document, issued under section 41 of the Maritime Transport Act (MTA) 1994.

Read about Part 21: Amendment 2010 and make a submission

Review of offshore oil and gas decommissioning policy

Maritime New Zealand is beginning a consultation process with stakeholders, aimed at developing a national policy for decommissioning offshore installations in New Zealand.

Read about the review of offshore oil and gas decommissioning policy

Review of qualifications and operational limits – input sought

Feedback on the future shape and direction of New Zealand's maritime qualifications and operational limits is now being sought by MNZ as part of a major qualifications and operational limits review. The review aims to develop a clearer and more logical framework for qualifications and operational limits to meet the needs of New Zealand's commercial maritime sector, now and in the future.

Read about the QOL Review

Review of maritime sewage discharge regulations – invitation to comment

Maritime sewage discharge is currently regulated in New Zealand by the Resource Management (Marine Pollution) Regulations 1998 which apply to all boats, from small recreational boats to large cruise ships. Annex IV of the MARPOL Convention has been widely accepted as the benchmark for maritime sewage discharge standards and is currently being considered as a template for New Zealand. While these standards would apply only to large commercial vessels, there is increasing awareness of the potential for untreated sewage discharge from smaller vessels to affect the coastal environment and its users as well. With this in mind, the current regulations are under review to determine whether they have kept pace with the maritime sector and society’s expectations.

MNZ is gathering information on current practice in dealing with sewage on board ships, from recreational boats, ferries, tourist excursion craft, and ocean-going ships. We’re keen to hear from anyone who has views on this subject or information to offer, to help shape the subsequent policy development and formal consultation process.

If you would like to know more about the project, or want to make suggestions or comments, please contact the Environmental Research and Analysis team on 0508 22 55 22 or email us at enquiries@maritimenz.govt.nz.

Sewage discharge

Shipboard garbage: reducing the load

MNZ is currently engaging with the fishing industry to learn more about how garbage is managed on boats. This work will help develop strategies to make garbage management easier and more effective and, ultimately, reduce the volume of garbage that is disposed of at sea. The results from this work will then be spread to the wider New Zealand boating community and will also be shared with the international maritime community as an example of good practice.

Closed consultations

Consultation documents will only be available here for up to 6 months after the comment period has expired.

Maritime operator safety system (MOSS) consultation

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) is proposing a new framework – called MOSS – to improve maritime operator safety.

We are proposing changes to the rules that guide what is currently known as the safe ship management (SSM) system: Rule Parts 21 and 46.

Consultation closed on 31 July 2010.

Read about the maritime operator safety system (MOSS) consultation

Marine protection rules – consultation on the draft rule amendments

These proposed amendments are concerned with the prevention of pollution of the sea by oil from ships. They aim to improve management of oily wastes on board ships, minimise risks when oil cargoes are transferred between oil tankers at sea, and eliminate harm from marine oil spills of heavy grades of oil in the Antarctic sea area.

Consultation closed on 31 July 2010.

Read about the draft marine protection rule amendments

About the consultation process

Consultation with the maritime community and general public is vital to ensure that any proposed changes or developments take into account the real situations of those they will affect.

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) consults as widely as possible through public notices, discussion documents, public meetings and seminars, other face-to-face contact, this website, and toll-free phone lines.

In some cases, consultation is required under law. For example, public consultation on proposed rules is provided for in section 446 of the Maritime Transport Act. We draft maritime and marine protection rules and carry out public consultation on draft rules on behalf of the Minister of Transport.

You can have your say by providing us with comments before the deadline, after which they become closed consultations. Each consultation document provides guidance on how to comment and what the deadline is.

More information

If you require further information about a current or closed consultation, please contact the MNZ representative listed in the consultation documents.

Questions and general enquiries about consultation on rules should be directed to:
rules.coordinator@maritimenz.govt.nz.

For general enquiries about our consultation process please contact MNZ.

Contact Maritime New Zealand

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