Following the investigation of an incident resulting in the deaths of two kayakers on Lake Tekapo on 25 September 2015, Maritime New Zealand has laid charges under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 and the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. The following charges have been filed against Ricky John Hartnett, the owner/operator of the […]
5 knot speed limit to remain on Blue Lake
Following consultation with local recreational water users, the Director of Maritime NZ has made permanent a 5 knot speed limit on Blue Lake, near St Bathans, Central Otago. Previously, an increased speed limit (known as a speed uplifting) put in place in 1980 permitted vessels to be operated faster than the 5 knot limit at […]
Yachtie aids his own rescue
Northland yachtsman Steve White did ‘all the right things’ when his 15-metre vessel began taking on water 185 kilometres west of Kaitaia last weekend. He put out a mayday call on maritime radio, then activated his EPIRB to alert the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand of his rapidly deteriorating situation, and evacuated his sinking […]
Maritime NZ buoyant among public sector agencies
Maritime New Zealand has been rated amongst the top five for public sector reputation in the most comprehensive research of its kind in New Zealand. Today, Colmar Brunton released the results of its independent Public Sector Reputation Index, in which more than 2,000 people had been interviewed about 31 national public sector organisations. The survey […]
Maritime NZ works with other regulators
The new Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) is intended to ensure there is one system for managing workplace health and safety across the whole of New Zealand, says Maritime NZ General Manager of Maritime Standards, Sharyn Forsyth. While Maritime NZ is the regulator responsible for health and safety on ships as places of […]
Management of coastal navigation
A review of coastal navigation safety by Maritime NZ has found that there is a sound framework in place to manage the movement of ships around the New Zealand coast, with procedures in place to assess risk and adjust safety measures if required. Maritime NZ Director Keith Manch said the review, begun in April last […]
Injured woman rescued from Urewera National Park
A 60-year-old Auckland woman with serious injuries has been flown to Hawkes Bay Hospital after a distress beacon was activated in the southern Urewera National Park at around 11am on 9 February 2016. The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) directed the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter to the scene, around 27km south west of the […]
10,000 more distress beacons
The number of registered distress beacons in New Zealand increased sharply by 20 per cent in 2015 (up 10,027 from 49,785 in December 2014 to 59,812 in December 2015). “For people in trouble more beacons means faster response, more lives saved, and fewer serious injuries,” the Manager of the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ), […]
Know where you’re going this summer
If you’re heading into the bush or on the water this summer, make sure you’ve got the map, chart and navigation equipment you need. If you’re heading into the bush, plan your trip with a topo map, check the weather, and pack your map or some other reliable navigation tool. Boaties and yachties also need […]
More recreational boaties wearing lifejackets
In good news for boating safety, more recreational boaties are wearing lifejackets the entire time they are on the water. Maritime New Zealand has released new research into recreational boating behaviour that shows in 2015 78 per cent of recreational boaties reported wearing a lifejacket the entire time they were on the water. This is […]
