Maritime NZ Expands Health and Safety Oversight at 13 Ports

Starting on 1 July 2024, a significant change in New Zealand’s port health and safety regulations has occurred, with Maritime NZ now serving as the primary regulator for the country’s 13 major ports. Maritime NZ Chief Executive Kirstie Hewlett believes that this shift presents a valuable opportunity to improve safety measures and prevent harm for port workers. By consolidating regulatory oversight under one entity, better engagement with businesses operating on ports can be achieved, leading to more effective management of high-risk activities and a reduction in harm to port workers.

As a risk-based regulator, Maritime NZ focuses on areas where harm is evident, aiming not only to respond to incidents but also to collaborate with stakeholders to prevent them from happening. The organization has established a dedicated Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) team to implement the new designation and enhance existing capabilities in risk management and safety systems. Additionally, Maritime NZ and WorkSafe have solidified their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding, detailing how they will collaborate to improve safety on ports after 1 July 2024.

WorkSafe New Zealand Chief Executive Steve Haszard emphasizes the importance of streamlining processes for port workers by transferring regulator responsibilities to Maritime NZ. This move is expected to bring clear health and safety benefits by centralizing oversight on major ports, with most notifiable incidents now being reported directly to Maritime NZ. While WorkSafe will continue to oversee other high-risk sectors and retain responsibility for certain areas on ports, the collaboration with Maritime NZ is crucial for achieving better work health and safety outcomes in New Zealand’s major ports.

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