Professional Skipper Magazine from VIP Publications

EDITORIAL TM CONFUSION STEERS A SHAKY COURSE Servicing the maritime industry since 1996 Incorporating New Zealand Workboats, NZ Professional Skipper & Oceans ISSN 1176-3078 ISSN 1176-8665 is published by: VIP Publications, 4 Prince Regent Drive, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 Ph 09 533 4336 Fax 09 533 4337 Email keith@skipper.co.nz advertising@skipper.co.nz website: www.skipper.co.nz Editor: Manager: Sub Editor: Contributors: Advertising: Designer: Printers: Distribution: Keith Ingram Vivienne Ingram Jessie Kollen Baden Pascoe Carol Forsyth Michael Pignéguy Hugh Ware, USA David Ledson Daniel Corbett Stuart Cawker Margaret Wind R. Lea Clough Lynton Diggle Trevor Coppock Karyn van Wijngaarden Louise Deehan-Owen Jerry Payne Murray Dear Paul Deacon Jeff Cook Justine Inns Greg Wilson Rachel Walker PMP Maxum Gordon and Gotch Ltd Subscriptions: Professional Skipper is published for the maritime transport industry. It is available on subscription in NZ and overseas. General: Reproduction of articles and materials published in Professional Skipper in whole or part, is permitted provided the source and author(s) are acknowledged. However, all photographic material is copyright and written permission to reproduce in any shape or form is required. Contributions of a nature relevant to the maritime transport industry are welcomed and industry participants are especially encouraged to contribute. Letters to the Editor should be signed and carry the writer's full name and address. Articles and information printed in Professional Skipper do not necessarily reflect the opinions or formal position or the publishers unless otherwise indicated. Material and information of a formal nature provided by the MSA, MoF or TAIC is identified by the use of their logo. All material published in Professional Skipper is done so with all due care as regards to accuracy and factual content. The publishers and editorial staff however cannot accept responsibility for any inadvertent errors and omissions which may occur. Professional Skipper is produced bi-monthly. JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – MPA AWARDS 2012 JUDGED HIGHLY COMMENDED EDITOR OF THE YEAR – MPA AWARDS 2009 Finalist 2008 Qantas Media Awards I find one never struggles for choice in writing editorials. Given so much change, is it any wonder when we find that confusion and uncertainty steer a shaky course? First up, the IRD appears hell bent on sounding the death knell on any charter boat doing less than 61 days a year. The problem here is that the IRD has lumped charter boats into the same category as batch owners, while not understanding the dynamics of the industry. The end result is that we may lose some 500 vessels out of the SSM system. Sadly, it won't stop these from operating under the radar. Meanwhile, Maritime New Zealand has announced the new MOSS sector advisory group. While not wishing to decry any of the nominees' knowledge or skills, I do note that apart from the president of the Marine Transport Association, the group is made up of new faces not normally associated with advocacy of the inshore maritime industry. On the surface this should be healthy. The risk I can envisage is that if these folk are not conversant with the rules and current risks and threats facing small operators, they could be duped into rubber stamping an already strained process and approving a system with which the maritime industry does not agree, but will be locked into for the next decade. MOSS is a huge responsibility for anyone, especially when the group's maritime links may not be as robust as one could expect. On the plus side, when all is revealed I am sure that they will be the first to hear the howls from the waterfront if they get it wrong. But will it be too late? We note the Maritime New Zealand funding review has gone deathly quiet. In fact, the only early indication of changes in fees and costs has come from the SeaCert seafarer certification process where Maritime New Zealand is proposing some outlandish fees. In some cases up to 400 percent increases on existing charges for service, with a proposed range of hourly rates in excess of $250 per hour, even for an administration clerk. Clearly, during the funding review process all the facts on costs were not revealed and it was not until we received a number of OIA replies that the true picture was starting to appear. It would seem that all these key project staff and managers were only on short-term contracts, in some cases charging between $950 to $1250 per day. This will explain why Maritime New Zealand officials have no budget to carry out the simple tasks of business as usual or liaise with industry or attend its functions. To add insult to injury, when these consultants had finished developing the new management systems for MOSS and QOL (SeaCert) they packed up their pens and cell phones, with a "she's all yours" parting they headed off to bury their snouts in another Government funded trough. Whoah up! What about implementation, induction and bedding the new rules and system in? Sorry, not my brief… Should it be a surprise that Maritime New Zealand have had to advise introduction delays and seek the support of the new MOSS sector advisory group? Now you can understand the pressure of responsibility on these industry folk to get it right. While on the funding review, there was a big push from the international ship owners to reduce the levy they are paying Maritime New Zealand by up to five million dollars, because they were concerned that they were subsidising the domestic fleet. Representatives mounted a strong argument that received tacit support, even though it is these ships that pose the greatest risk to our coastal marine environment. Take the Rena as a case in point, it is the New Zealand taxpayer who will end up picking up the lion's share of this costly tab, not the ship owners. Recently, I read in the media that the New Zealand trade in freight charges of imports and exports was a five billion dollar industry for these international ship owners trading our coast. This is huge! And they now have the audacity to say to Maritime New Zealand that they want to see a reduction in their marine safety charges or levies of several million dollars. Sorry folks, it is time the maritime domestic fleet told the Minister that given the risk these ships pose to our marine environment the current charges are far too cheap. No, the ships will not stop coming. Remember, five billion dollars in freight charges and growing. They will still come because they are making good money and as such they should rightfully pay their dues. Last month the superyacht base of Yard 37 hit the media with the Council saying to New Zealand Marine, shape up and start building or ship out – or words to this effect. The immediate response was, "well the white boat market for new builds and refits is very soft at present," with the suggestion of releasing pre-allocated land back to Council for housing and apartments. Slow down, let's not forget the black boats, our domestic fleets. Because of the loss of waterfront land and slipways, one of our major ferry operators is sending 15 vessels out of Auckland along with $5,000,000 for annual surveys and refits this year alone. Another major vessel owner with over 60 vessels is spending in excess of thirty million on vessel R&M and would love to do this work in Auckland where they have their supporting infrastructure. Let's not give this valuable land up for housing until we have future proofed our ship and workboat refit needs. Keith Ingram, Editor

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