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Maritime Transport Act 1994

Duties in relation to maritime activity - Duties in relation to accidents, incidents, etc

31: Obligation to notify all accidents, incidents, etc

You could also call this:

"Tell the Authority if something goes wrong on a ship"

If you are the master of a New Zealand ship or a foreign ship in New Zealand waters and something goes wrong, you must tell the Authority as soon as possible. This includes if someone gets seriously hurt, or if there is an accident or incident. You need to report what happened to the Authority quickly.

If the master of the ship is unable to report what happened, the operator of the ship must do it instead. This might happen if the master is injured or if someone has died. The operator will tell the Authority what happened.

You also need to report accidents or incidents if you work on a ship or with maritime products and something goes wrong. This includes New Zealand ships and foreign ships in New Zealand waters. You must tell the Authority as soon as possible if someone gets seriously hurt or if there is an accident or incident. The Authority can ask for more information after you report what happened, and you must provide it quickly. If you are in charge of a search and rescue operation for a missing ship or person, you must also tell the Authority about the operation as soon as possible, you can find more information about this in the Maritime Transport Act 1994 or similar legislation like s 26.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM335680.

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30: Recording and notification of accidents, incidents, and mishaps, or

"Telling authorities about accidents on New Zealand ships"

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Part 3Duties in relation to maritime activity
Duties in relation to accidents, incidents, etc

31Obligation to notify all accidents, incidents, etc

  1. The master of—

  2. any New Zealand ship; or
    1. any foreign ship in New Zealand waters—
        1. that is involved in a mishap that results in serious harm to a person, an accident, or an incident, shall notify the mishap, accident, or incident to the Authority as soon as practicable.

      1. If, due to injuries or death or for other good reason, the master of a ship referred to in subsection (1) is unable to give the necessary notice under that subsection, the operator of the ship shall provide the necessary notice.

      2. Every person who—

      3. operates, maintains, or services, or does any other act in respect of any New Zealand ship, any foreign ship in New Zealand waters, or any maritime product; and
        1. is involved in an accident, incident, or mishap resulting in serious harm, involving a New Zealand ship, or a foreign ship in New Zealand waters—
            1. shall, where required to do so under maritime rules, notify the accident, incident, or mishap to the Authority as soon as practicable.

          1. The co-ordinator of any search and rescue operation for any ship or person missing at sea shall notify the Authority of the operation as soon as practicable.

          2. The Authority may, on being notified under this section, request such additional information in such form as it considers appropriate in each specific case, and the master or operator or person of whom the request is made shall provide the additional information forthwith.

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