New Zealand Reviews Oil Spill Response Strategy

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) is inviting comment on its draft updated New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Response Strategy.

The draft strategy is based on the current version but substantially updated to include lessons learned nationally and internationally in recent years, and follows discussion with regional councils, iwi, and community stakeholders at a series of public meetings held earlier this year.

Under the Maritime Transport Act, MNZ is required to regularly update the strategy, last revised in 2006.

The draft Strategy not only provides information about how Maritime NZ responds to marine oil spills, but for the first time, sets out the vision, principles, goals, and objectives for the next five years for New Zealand’s marine oil spill readiness and response.

When finalised the Strategy will provide a framework within which New Zealand’s approach to managing marine oil spills can continue to develop.

The draft strategy identifies four key goals:

•    New Zealand is able to respond to a significant marine oil spill
•    New Zealand’s readiness and response is evidence-based, intelligence-led and meets international best practice
•    MNZ builds and develops relationships that will improve readiness and response
•    Industry and regional readiness and response capability is matched to the scale of their responsibility and risk.

MNZ Director Keith Manch said the strategy was a key element of MNZ’s statutory role in responding to marine oil spills. “It is very important that our strategic response to oil spills reflects modern best practice and incorporates input from our response partners as well as local communities and iwi,” he said.

“I would encourage all interested groups and individuals to read the new draft strategy and provide feedback.”