There could soon be a lack of help for any large vessels in trouble off the coast of New Zealand as the number of open ocean tugs in the country diminishes to just one.
Maritime New Zealand wrote to ministers in March 2024, saying Aotearoa “will soon be without any vessel capable off offshore towage in an incident”.
The issue of whether New Zealand needed more resource dedicated to open ocean rescue situations has been debated for 20 years.
A string of close calls – including the Interislander’s Kaitaki ferry losing power on a Cook Strait sailing in 2023 – has prompted a fresh look at open ocean tugs.
“It’s quite harrowing when you think about it, what could have happened,” Kitty Fitton, who was on board the Kaitaki ferry when it lost power, told 1News.
Through the Official Information Act, 1News has asked various times over the last two years for information from ministers and Maritime New Zealand, but received little in response. The Ombudsman has been investigating as 1News argued the public had a right to know.
Yesterday, Maritime New Zealand released documents — although around 40 of the 95 pages were entirely redacted due to commercial sensitivity.
In the documents, officials noted that previously, there had been greater access to towing vessels for emergency use offshore, but that has diminished significantly.
“New Zealand’s current ability to respond to a large vessel incident at any open water location around New Zealand is very limited,” they wrote.
The only option was commercial vessels – if they were available.
There were previously three privately-owned open ocean tugs in Taranaki but that had reduced to just one – and there were no guarantees it would stay in the country.
“You want a fire engine waiting down the road when there is a fire. You don’t want to go out and look for one first, and Cook Strait is a busy bit of water,” Wellington harbourmaster Grant Nalder said.
Officials highlighted the Cook Strait as the main area of concern, followed by Fiordland, the east coast of the North Island, and Taranaki.
But providing full, comprehensive capability was not straightforward.
The documents released to 1News noted that the cost involved would be significant, “particularly because the capability is not often used”.
There was also no guarantee a tug could be mobilised in time to help.
“That whole ‘she’ll be right’ mentality shouldn’t apply when it comes to sailing across the Cook Strait,” Fitton said.
In last year’s budget, $600,000 was set aside for a business case, which officials said they were working on.
