Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Maritime Transport Act 1994

Protection of marine environment from ballast water

246B: Discharge from ships

You could also call this:

"Rules for releasing water from ships to protect the ocean"

When you are on a ship, ballast water can only be discharged in accordance with the applicable marine protection rules. You need to follow these rules when the ship is in New Zealand's territorial sea, internal waters, or exclusive economic zone. You also need to follow these rules if the ship is a New Zealand ship in the sea beyond New Zealand's exclusive economic zone.

The marine protection rules apply to all these areas, and you must discharge ballast water according to them. This means you have to be careful where and how you discharge ballast water from a ship. The rules are in place to protect the marine environment.

You can find more information about the laws that apply to ships and the environment in the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012, which amended the Maritime Transport Act.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7443422.

Previous

246A: Meaning of ballast water, convention, and ship, or

"What 'ballast water', 'convention', and 'ship' mean in the Maritime Transport Act 1994"

Next

246C: Offence, or

"Breaking the ballast water rules is a crime and can lead to fines or imprisonment."

Part 19AProtection of marine environment from ballast water

246BDischarge from ships

  1. Ballast water may be discharged from a ship only in accordance with the applicable marine protection rules.

  2. Subsection (1) applies to—

  3. a ship in—
    1. the territorial sea of New Zealand; or
      1. the internal waters of New Zealand; or
        1. the exclusive economic zone of New Zealand; and
        2. a ship that is a New Zealand ship in the sea beyond the outer limits of the exclusive economic zone of New Zealand.

          Notes
          • Section 246B: inserted, on , by section 86(5) of the Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 (2012 No 73).