The New Zealand government is investing approximately US$17.5 million in the Maritime Digital Transformation (MDT) initiative, aimed at revolutionizing navigation in its waters. This initiative will enhance how mariners access and interact with vital data, including electronic charts, water depth, ocean currents, and navigational warnings. The collaboration between Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and Maritime NZ will lead to improved safety, fuel efficiency, and optimized routing for seafarers over the next four years.
LINZ, through its Hydrographic Authority, is responsible for providing up-to-date nautical charts and essential data for New Zealand waters, Antarctica, and the southwest Pacific. Meanwhile, Maritime NZ oversees safety, security, and environmental protection in New Zealand’s coastal and inland waterways. It also issues navigational warnings across a vast area of 50 million square kilometers.
Together, LINZ and Maritime NZ ensure compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) standards under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The MDT program will facilitate the implementation of the S-100 international safety standard, part of a broader global transition toward eNavigation.
