Maritime Transport Act 1994

Powers and duties of Director of Maritime New Zealand in relation to maritime activity - Investigation of accidents, incidents, and mishaps

59: Additional powers of investigation

You could also call this:

"Extra powers to help investigate maritime accidents"

Illustration for Maritime Transport Act 1994

You have extra powers to investigate accidents. The Director and people they authorise can do more things to help with their job. They can stop people from going to the site of an accident if they think it will help keep evidence safe. You can also take things to help figure out what happened. The Director can seize or detain ships or products if they think it will help. They can test things to find out the cause of an accident. The Director has these powers to help them do their job under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, in addition to the powers given in section 58.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM335741.

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

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Transport and travel > Boating

Part 5Powers and duties of Director of Maritime New Zealand in relation to maritime activity
Investigation of accidents, incidents, and mishaps

59Additional powers of investigation

Without limiting the powers conferred by section 58, for the purpose of exercising any of the functions, duties, or powers of the Director under this Act, the Director and any person authorised in writing for the purpose by the Director shall, in addition to any other powers conferred by this Act, have power to do the following:
where the Director believes on reasonable grounds that it is necessary to preserve or record evidence, or to prevent the tampering with or alteration, mutilation, or destruction of any ship, place, maritime product, or any other thing involved in any manner in an accident, incident, or mishap, to prohibit or restrict access of persons or classes of persons to the site of any accident, incident, or mishap:
to seize, detain, remove, preserve, protect, or test any ship, maritime product, or any thing that the Director believes on reasonable grounds will assist in establishing the cause of an accident, incident, or mishap.