Headline: Maritime Union backs calls for shipping lanes
Posted on 19 December 2013.
The union that represents New Zealand shipping crews is backing calls for mandatory shipping lanes on the New Zealand coast.
Maritime Union of New Zealand national secretary Joe Fleetwood says there is real potential for another Rena type grounding.
Wellington based marine expert John Riding has detailed many recent near miss incidents by large vessels coming close to grounding on the New Zealand coast and offshore islands and reefs.
The Maritime Union is backing his call for shipping lanes to be put in place on the New Zealand coast.
Mr Fleetwood says that this is a basic measure to tighten up the maritime industry.
He says there is enormous time pressure to maintain shipping schedules and this obviously can conflict with safety best practice.
The same pressures are behind New Zealand’s bad health and safety record in many industries that have been deregulated and where profit is put before safety, he says.
Mr Fleetwood says that most large vessels on the New Zealand coast are flag of convenience vessels, which increases risks due to lack of regulation in flag states, and in many cases are in poor condition.
“The New Zealand coast is an unforgiving environment and we should not wait for another Rena type situation to move on this issue.”
—
Wow! it’s totally amazing this has not been addressed before.. (like at least a century ago) I can’t believe there are not shipping lanes already in place.
Gosh, people complain about over-regulation, not being allowed to strap their kids with the jug cord etc, while all this time no-one noticed we don’t have shipping lanes- where are we? Oh right, the bottom of the world where no one takes any notice what’s going , duh
Comments are closed.