Environmental requirements for ports and harbours

Oil spill risk in ports

The risk of oil and other pollutant spills from ships into the marine environment is generally higher in ports than in other coastal areas. This is because ports have a high concentration of shipping and frequent transfers of cargo and fuel.

The New Zealand Port and Harbour Marine Safety Code provides for the safe management of ships in ports and harbours. The code includes prevention of serious harm to people and protection of the marine environment.

The code sets national standards for harbour management to:

• minimise the likelihood of shipping incidents that may result in pollution within harbours
• make sure adequate contingency plans are in place if such incidents occur.

Oil spill contingency plans for ports

Marine Protection Rules require owners of oil transfer sites to develop oil spill contingency plans to deal with unexpected discharges of oil.

Oil transfer sites include:

• any location where oil is loaded or unloaded from ships
• any location where there are refuelling facilities for ships.

Tankers discharge petroleum products in all the major ports in New Zealand. There are also many refuelling sites throughout the country. These range from large bunkering facilities in the main ports to diesel and petrol pumps in most marinas and small harbours.

Port waste reception facilities

Marine Protection Rules also require port operators to provide waste reception facilities for the transfer of harmful waste from ships, including:

• oil
• noxious liquid chemical substances
• garbage
• sediments from ballast water tanks.

Where possible, the ship’s agent should arrange the use of port reception facilities in New Zealand and Australian ports. Charges usually apply for the use of port waste facilities.