Maritime Transport Act 1994

Local regulation of maritime activity - Wrecks

33K: Removal of wrecks by Director

You could also call this:

"The Director can remove a shipwreck that's a danger to boats in New Zealand waters."

If you are in a regional council's area and there is a wreck that is a hazard to navigation, the Director can get involved. The Director can ask the regional council to remove or deal with the wreck, or to get the owner to remove it. If the regional council does not remove the wreck or get the owner to remove it within 14 days, the Director can take steps to remove the wreck and has the same powers as the regional council under section 33J.

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This page was last updated on 25 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM5689818.

33J: Removal of wrecks by regional council, or

"Regional councils can remove and dispose of shipwrecks that are hazards to navigation."

33L: Removal of abandoned ships, or

"What happens to abandoned ships in New Zealand and who is responsible for removing them"

Part 3ALocal regulation of maritime activity
Wrecks

33KRemoval of wrecks by Director

This section applies to any wreck in a regional council's region that is a hazard to navigation.
The Director may require the regional council to—
remove or deal with the wreck; or
cause the owner (of the wreck), or an agent of the owner, to remove the wreck.

If the regional council fails to remove or cause the owner, or an agent of the owner, to remove the wreck within 14 days of the Director requiring it to do so under subsection (2), the Director may take steps to remove the wreck, and for that purpose has all the powers of a regional council under section 33J.

Compare

s 650K(2)(f)

Notes

Section 33K: inserted, on 23 October 2013, by section 7 of the Maritime Transport Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 84).