Government expedites urgent advice on maritme disaster response options

Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan has expedited urgent advice on New Zealand’s ability to respond to a maritime disaster after the MV Shiling cargo ship’s mayday call.

Council leaders on either side of Cook Strait met with Allan this week over what they say is a “fragile” emergency response capability.

Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter felt Allan was “leaning into the issue” and has asked maritime safety authorities to prepare a set of options for the Government to consider.

There is no emergency towing vessel on standby in New Zealand to help large ships in strife – a situation that’s been highlighted by two mayday calls in the space of a few months this year.

Interislander’s Kaitaki ferry narrowly avoided disaster in January when power to its engines was able to be restored, preventing the ship from drifting any further towards Wellington’s south coast with 864 people on board.

It’s unknown how harbour tugs sent to the ship’s aid would have fared should their assistance have been required.

More recently, the MV Shiling lost power 22 nautical miles from Farewell Spit. The ocean-going tug Skandi Emerald happened to be in New Zealand for a work assignment and was able to secure Shiling and eventually tow it to Wellington where it remains.

When the Herald checked in on Shiling’s status on Monday, Maritime New Zealand said the cause of its engine failure was yet to be confirmed and no decision had been made about when it would leave the capital.

Allan said the Government shares the concerns voiced by Ponter and Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor regarding the availability of offshore emergency response capability.

Allan and Transport Minister Michael Wood have requested urgent advice on potential options.

“Maritime New Zealand is currently engaging with stakeholders on this issue,” Allan said.

“In light of the recent incidents I have asked that this advice be expedited and I expect to receive preliminary advice from Maritime New Zealand in July.”

Ponter described both the Kaitaiki and Shiling incidents as near misses.

The main risks at stake were ships running aground, environmental consequences, and loss of life, he said.

“The clean up from these types of disasters can take decades and we avoided that this time, the question is: Will we be ready next time?”

New Zealand could not afford to have an ocean-going tug like the Skandi Emerald on standby, but there were other options, Ponter said.

These included enhanced tugs and equipment such as sea anchors that could be lifted on to a stricken ship to help turn it into the wind and stabilise it, he said.

Ponter said stabilising a ship could buy more time by providing a steady enough platform to fix any mechanical problems and get people off the vessel if necessary.

The footage of Shiling moving from side to side in rough water before Skandi Emerald came to the rescue was dramatic, he said.

“In those circumstances, the crew just didn’t have a show in hell of actually fixing the boat. Even if they could, they would not have been able to stand upright to wield a wrench,” Ponter said.

“The crew on the Shiling were incapable of doing anything they were so seasick … they were on the verge of being airlifted off the ship.”