Emergency & environmental readiness

Maritime Rule Part 23 — Operational Procedures and Training applies to fishing ships and requires applicable operational and emergency arrangements. Its framework includes muster lists, emergency alarms and drills, training manuals, onboard training and emergency instructions, contingency planning, logbook entries and other operational procedures. The exact requirements depend on the vessel and rule provisions that apply.

Environmental obligations sit alongside vessel-safety requirements. Marine Protection Rules are secondary legislation under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 and implement detailed pollution-prevention requirements. Maritime NZ says all vessels, from large ships to small dinghies, must comply with applicable marine-protection requirements, although plans, record books, certificates and equipment requirements vary by vessel size and operation.

Marine Protection Rule Part 170 regulates garbage from ships. It restricts most discharges and, where applicable, requires measures such as placards, garbage management plans and garbage record books. Maritime NZ also requires lost fishing gear that poses a threat to the marine environment or navigation to be reported and recorded in the garbage record book or logbook.

What should an operator have in place?

Manager check

• Have we identified which Part 23 emergency procedures and drills apply to this vessel?
• Can crew locate and use emergency equipment and understand their assigned emergency duties?
• Are required drills, training and logbook entries completed and meaningful rather than treated as signatures only?
• Have we identified the Marine Protection Rules that apply to our vessel, fuel, waste and operations?
• Are oil and garbage controls appropriate to the vessel, including any applicable record books, plans, placards or pollution-prevention equipment?
• Do the master and responsible people know the notification route for a harmful-substance discharge or pollution incident?
• Is lost fishing gear reported and recorded when Part 170 requires it?
• Do emergency exercises and actual incidents feed back into the vessel safety system?

Standards and conventions: New Zealand's Maritime and Marine Protection Rules implement or incorporate requirements from international instruments including SOLAS and MARPOL. Some requirements apply only above specified vessel sizes, tonnage, voyage types or activities. NZQC references the applicable NZ rules rather than reproducing incorporated international standards or assuming every convention requirement applies to every vessel.