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maritime new zealand THREE RESCUED FROM SINKING SHIP Two Americans and a Canadian were rescued from a vessel that began taking on water 280km south-south west of American Samoa on June 17. The initial report was received via Rescue Coordination Centre Honolulu, with the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand receiving a subsequent transmission from the vessel's emergency locator beacon. The crew of the vessel, the 31m MV Horizons, was communicating via satellite phone and email with a contact in Tonga and reported the vessel was taking on water and expected to sink. Life rafts were deployed alongside in case it became necessary to abandon ship, with the crew equipped with a handheld VHF radio to maintain communications. RCCNZ Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator Dave Wilson said three vessels were directed to the scene with charter fishing vessel MV Last Stall was the first to arrive. An RNZAF P3 Orion was also dispatched to the area, but was recalled following the rescue. The MV Horizons was registered in the Cayman Islands and is said to be a long-range support vessel for fishing charters. "This is an excellent outcome for what could have been a very serious incident," Wilson said. "We were fortunate there were a number of vessels relatively close to the scene and particularly appreciate the efforts of the MV Last Stall, which was heading for Tonga for repairs to its propeller shaft when it responded." The MV Last Stall continued to Tonga with the rescued crew. IMO FUTURE OF SHIP SAFETY SYMPOSIUM The appointment of Lockwood Smith marks New Zealand's first permanent representative in the International Maritime Organisation. Sir Lockwood, New Zealand high commissioner to the United Kingdom, presented his credentials to the IMO's secretarygeneral, Koji Sekimizu. As a former New Zealand Minister for agriculture and for international trade, Lockwood underlined the links that maritime affairs have to the New Zealand economy. "New Zealand is reliant on international shipping for the vast majority of our imports and to get our exports to market. We need to be confident about the quality of this shipping, in terms of safety, security and environmental standards," he said. "It's important we have our say in shaping the international rules that apply." The two-day Symposium on the Future of Ship Safety preceded a meeting of the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee and brought together the full spectrum of ship designers, builders, owners, operators and regulators. Themes emerging from the symposium for consideration by the Maritime Safety Committee were the improvement of data collection and increasing its availability to support the evolution of the international regulatory regime. Better integration of riskbased methodologies into the safety framework was discussed as well as the encouragement of a safety culture that goes beyond "mere compliance" with requirements. There was also a strong focus on the "human element" in accidents and incidents, and how to support the development of seafarers' capability in a time of significant change. The director of Maritime New Zealand, Keith Manch, also participated in the first ever Symposium on the Future of Ship Safety, held at IMO headquarters in London. Manch commented that these themes echo what Maritime New Zealand is currently doing to become more risk-based and intelligence-led. The IMO is the 170-member organisation responsible for the safety and security of shipping and protection of the marine environment. It is responsible for the international regulations that apply to shipping organisations and about 50 international treaties and more than 1000 codes and recommendations. New Zealand has been a member of the IMO since its establishment in 1948. THREE RESCUED AFTER DISTRESS BEACON ACTIVATED Two men standing on an upturned boat and one man found clinging to the hull were rescued after they activated their distress beacon on the evening of June 29. The three men set off the beacon after their seven metre hard-topped trailer boat was hit by a wave and rolled when they were uplifting the anchor. The men had been out fishing for the day and their boat was 11.5 nautical miles west-north-west of the Kawhia Harbour entrance. A Westpac Rescue Auckland helicopter and a Coastguard vessel Gallagher Rescue were tasked by Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand. The helicopter crew found two men wearing life jackets standing on the upturned hull of their boat. Using a searchlight they located a third man clinging to the hull. He was not wearing a life jacket. The RCCNZ was able to give the helicopter crew an accurate position for the men from their distress beacon, which also had a strobe light. The helicopter was unable to uplift the men due to the prevailing conditions at the time but remained on the scene until the Coastguard vessel arrived. The crew of Gallagher Rescue recovered the three men and returned to Raglan where the three were treated for mild hypothermia. "It's a textbook example of how effective beacons are," said RCCNZ search and rescue officer Chris Henshaw. "The 406MHz distress beacon was registered, so we were able to call the nominated emergency contact to establish the size of the party, type of vessel and what they were likely to be doing to inform the helicopter crew and Coastguard. The beacon meant we were able to get a very accurate position for the vessel and locate them easily. Westpac Rescue Auckland and Coastguard worked together in a very successful rescue," Henshaw said. CHANGES TO MARITIME NEW ZEALAND FEES, CHARGES AND LEVIES New Zealand's first IMO permanent representative Lockwood Smith (centre) with secretary-general, Koji Sekimizu and MNZ's Keith Manch 74 Professional Skipper September/October 2013 Maritime New Zealand's fees, Marine Safety Charge and Oil Pollution Levy changed on July 1, 2013. The changes to Maritime New Zealand's fixed fees, hourly rates and Marine Safety Charge arose from a Funding Review in 2011-12. The results of that review, which involved consultation with the maritime sector, are designed to ensure the right balance is achieved between Maritime New Zealand's sources of funding and the services it provides. www.skipper.co.nz