Oil spill response strategy

The New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Readiness and Response Strategy sets the overarching framework for how Maritime New Zealand and our partners will respond to a marine oil spill incident.

Under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, Maritime NZ is required to regularly update the Strategy, last revised in 2022. This document, the New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Readiness and Response Strategy 2022-2026, is the sixth revision since it was first established in 1992.

The purpose of the Strategy is to:

• describe actions to be taken and by whom in a response to a marine oil spill, and to promote a standard and coordinated national readiness and response system
• provide Maritime NZ with the strategic intent and direction to shape how New Zealand maintains and enhances its preparation for readiness and response 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 the oil and gas industry when it is operating in New Zealand’s marine environment.

The vision of the Strategy –‘New Zealand has an efficient, effective, resilient and fit-for-purpose marine oil spill response system’ – fits well with Maritime NZ’s vision ‘preventing harm, saving lives and securing our future’, and directly reflects the key attributes Maritime NZ is working to achieve.

The four goals outlined 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 areas are:

• industry’s and regional councils’ capability to respond to their own and local 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 will shape the future capability requirements for New Zealand and Maritime NZ and the resources needed to give effect to this capability.