Web Alert: Mandatory biofouling standards in New Zealand - Update

The New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries recently gave a presentation on the topic in Auckland, describing the risk posed by hull biofouling to the New Zealand marine environment.

As per our previous Web Alert, the New Zealand’s Craft Risk Management Standard (CRMS) came into force on 15 May 2018.

The New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) recently gave a presentation on the topic in Auckland. This presentation described the risk posed by hull biofouling to the New Zealand marine environment, explained the intent of the CRMS, and discussed methods which vessel operators will be required to use in order to achieve a “clean hull”.

Alistair Irving, P&I Services New Zealand attended the MPI presentation and the detailed agenda and other details of the topics discussed can be found here.

One of the main issues raised was the preventative measures that the operators must be adopting to ensure a clean hull. Such measures include:

Cleaning the vessel’s hull less than 30 days before arrival
Having evidence of continual maintenance of the hull using best practice, or
Booking an appointment to haul out a vessel at an MPI-approved facility within 24 hours of arrival.

Shipowners must be aware that in the event of serious non-compliance, it is likely that the ship will be ordered to leave the MPI jurisdiction.

As New Zealand seems to be the first jurisdiction worldwide with such strict compulsory biofouling measures, it is very important that shipowners familiarise themselves with the CRMS and the impact of non-compliance. It is also suggested that shipowners are sufficiently prepared to present a clean hull when their ship arrives in New Zealand and also provide documentary evidence to show compliance with the CRMS.