Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
Environment Southland
Text
Environment Southland manages navigational safety within the Fiordland region and is committed to undertaking and regulating marine operations for cruise ships within its area. The increasing frequency, scale and duration of cruise ship traffic through Fiordland will increase the risks. Milford Sound is not the only passage where blind pilotage can be a necessity.
There are a number of measures that the regional council could take to better manage the risks to navigation safety within Fiordland, including: the provision of more navigation aids; better training and currency for pilots in blind pilotage techniques; and even prohibiting night navigation of certain passages if that were felt necessary.
On 22 June 2018 the Commission recommended that the Chief Executive of Environment Southland review the risk assessment for safe navigation within Fiordland and take the necessary action(s) to mitigate the risk of large cruise ships frequently transiting narrow passages with limited room for manoeuvring and with pilots on board during the hours of darkness or in other conditions of restricted visibility.
There are a number of measures that the regional council could take to better manage the risks to navigation safety within Fiordland, including: the provision of more navigation aids; better training and currency for pilots in blind pilotage techniques; and even prohibiting night navigation of certain passages if that were felt necessary.
On 22 June 2018 the Commission recommended that the Chief Executive of Environment Southland review the risk assessment for safe navigation within Fiordland and take the necessary action(s) to mitigate the risk of large cruise ships frequently transiting narrow passages with limited room for manoeuvring and with pilots on board during the hours of darkness or in other conditions of restricted visibility.
Reply Text
Environment Southland is committed to ensuring that its navigation safety responsibilities for Fiordland and the Southland region as a whole are managed appropriately.
Navigatus Consulting have been contacted by Environment Southland to provide an overall risk assessment of the increasing number of cruise ships scheduled to visit Fiordland; this risk assessment is due for completion 31 July.
Dependant upon the outcome of the cruise ship risk assessment, further work may be required to be undertaken to properly address the final recommendations from the Commission.
It is envisaged that Council will be in a position to confirm by 30 September 2018, whether or not they have been able to fully implement the final recommendations.
Navigatus Consulting have been contacted by Environment Southland to provide an overall risk assessment of the increasing number of cruise ships scheduled to visit Fiordland; this risk assessment is due for completion 31 July.
Dependant upon the outcome of the cruise ship risk assessment, further work may be required to be undertaken to properly address the final recommendations from the Commission.
It is envisaged that Council will be in a position to confirm by 30 September 2018, whether or not they have been able to fully implement the final recommendations.
Related Investigation(s)