The number of defects that are causing incidents and accidents in New Zealand pilotage waters is of concern. It is an indication that New Zealand port and harbour authorities cannot totally rely on the International Safety Management system to ensure that vessels transiting New Zealand ports are operated safely and efficiently. Minor technical defects and human performance issues are often lead indicators of deeper systemic safety issues on board a vessel. If the issues of mechanically unreliable vessels and substandard crew resource management on vessels operating into New Zealand ports are to be addressed, this will need to be done at a national level rather than individual ports dealing with the issues as they arise.
The Commission recommends that the Director of Maritime New Zealand consult port and harbour authorities and the New Zealand Maritime Pilots Association to develop a formal system for port and harbour authority employees to report vessel defects and crew performance issues. The purpose of the system should be to make information immediately available to maritime employees who can use the information to improve the safety of pilotage operations at subsequent ports. The purpose of the system should not be to replace the mandatory reporting of accidents and incidents, but instead to disseminate that information in a timely fashion to prevent similar accidents and incidents in the immediate future.