Maritime Transport Act 1994

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Keeping the Sea Safe and Clean"

Illustration for Maritime Transport Act 1994

You live in a country with a lot of water around it. This law helps keep the sea safe. It makes sure people follow the rules when they are on the water. It also helps protect the marine environment. You might have heard of international agreements. These are like promises that countries make to each other. This law helps New Zealand keep its promises about the sea. It also makes sure that people who do things that hurt the sea are responsible for their actions. This law applies to the sea around New Zealand and to the special areas outside New Zealand's waters. It helps keep the sea clean and safe for everyone. It is an important law that helps New Zealand follow international rules about the sea.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM334659.

This page was last updated on 4 January 2026 — View changes

Highlights from this law

6: Employers to ensure safety of seafarers

Employers must keep seafarers safe at work

7: Identification of hazards to seafarers

Keeping Seafarers Safe from Hazards

8: Significant hazards to seafarers to be eliminated where practicable

Keep seafarers safe by removing big hazards when possible

9: Significant hazards to seafarers to be isolated where elimination impracticable

Keep seafarers safe from big hazards that can't be removed

10: Significant hazards to seafarers to be minimised, and seafarers to be protected, where elimination and isolation impracticable

Keep seafarers safe from big hazards at work

15: Duties of employers in respect of persons who are not seafarers

Employers' duties to people who aren't seafarers

16: Duties of seafarers

What seafarers must do to stay safe at work

32: Duty to assist persons in danger and to respond to distress calls

Helping People in Danger at Sea

188: Duty of assistance

Helping the Maritime Authority with Their Job

Topics:

Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Climate and energyTransport and travel > Boating

Maritime Transport Act 1994

Reprint as at:: 2025-11-27
Assent:: 1994-11-17
Commencement:: see section 1

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Ministry of Transport.

An Act—

to continue Maritime New Zealand; and

to enable the implementation of New Zealand’s obligations under international maritime agreements; and

to ensure that participants in the maritime transport system are responsible for their actions; and

to consolidate and amend maritime transport law; and

to protect the marine environment; and

to continue, or enable, the implementation of obligations on New Zealand under various international conventions relating to pollution of the marine environment; and

to regulate maritime activities in New Zealand and New Zealand waters; and

to regulate maritime activities and the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone and on the continental shelf as permitted under international law