New Zealand oil spill response strategy - Maritime New Zealand

In addition, Maritime New Zealand will maintain a response resource database as part of the National
Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan. This will include all oil spill response equipment held by Maritime
New Zealand and other agencies as appropriate, and all trained oil spill responders.
Where appropriate, Maritime New Zealand will use and promote information technology to improve
management of contingency plans and response activities (e.g., the establishment of a ‘live’ incident
response website).
In recognition of the requirement for Geospatial Information (GI) for both oil spills and search and
rescue, the cross government approach for data sharing and data development will be further
facilitated. This will enable a complete ‘information systems’ approach to be used throughout
Maritime New Zealand, and in particular by the spill responders throughout the country. The purpose
of such a system is to aid decisions both ‘on scene’ and within the DAT.
Furthermore, the situational awareness at both sites should be improved to the point where real time
data flows (of dynamic data) will superimpose over static data stored at each site. This should
enhance the NOSC’s downward communication to working groups and the Director’s upward
communication to the Minister in a Tier 3 situation. The ultimate benefit will be the communication
between NOSC and the Director.
The Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand
Maritime New Zealand now has responsibility for national search and rescue operations, which are
administered from the facilities of the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ). Though
primarily focused on search and rescue activities, RCCNZ also undertakes some marine oil spill
response functions. This includes being the first point of contact for oil spills (both actual and
probable), the promulgation of this information to the appropriate authorities and the subsequent
facilitation of communication with the vessels involved.
Maritime Security
Maritime New Zealand’s Maritime Security Team is responsible for the regulation of New Zealand's
International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code compliant ports and ships. The organisation
has no immediate response capability function for security, so it aims to ensure that the operating
environment for international maritime trade in New Zealand is secure against terrorist threats, and is
achieved through a whole of government approach to securing New Zealand's borders from such
activity.
Response issues concerning access to secure port areas should be addressed at the contingency
planning stage and detailed in Tier 2 plans.
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