Inquiries & Recommendations

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On 25 June 2026, the Commission recommended that the chief executive of Lyttelton Port Company take reasonably practicable steps to verify that on-board systems with the potential to compromise dry dock safety are isolated and made safe prior to entering the dry dock, and that they maintain awareness of the status of these systems during the vessel’s time in the dry dock.

On 25 June 2026, the Commission recommended that the chief executive of Lyttelton Port Company modify its process and documentation to address how the overlapping responsibilities of parties conducting business in its dry dock are going to be managed.

6.3 On 25 June 2026, the Commission recommended that the managing director of Australian Longline PTY Limited review its safety management system and standard operating procedures to ensure it requires appropriate approval for proposed modifications to all safety-critical systems before conducting the work.

On 30 April 2026, the Commission recommended that the Chief Executive of KiwiRail Holdings Limited ensure that all structural-asset inspections and audit procedures are in full compliance with KiwiRail’s quality management system and standards, particularly with regard to riverbed-profile monitoring.

On 30 April 2026, the Commission recommended that the Chief Executive of KiwiRail Holdings Limited review the Trigger Action Response Plans for all high-risk assets to ensure they contain adequate responses to mitigate the risks specific to that asset.

On 30 April 2026, the Commission recommended that the Chief Executive of KiwiRail Holdings Limited develop and document KiwiRail’s risk-based asset management and maintenance system for flood and scour risk to rail bridges across the rail network.

On 25 March 2026, the Commission recommended that the Director of Maritime New Zealand work with New Zealand commercial jet boating stakeholders to review and improve the requirements prescribed to commercial jet boat operators to ensure that safety measures on board are adequate to protect passengers from injury.

On 25 March 2026, the Commission recommended that Maritime New Zealand actively promulgate IMO MSC.1/Circ.1533, ‘Revised guidelines on evacuation analysis for new and existing passenger ships’ and issue associated guidelines to all passenger ferry operators, and strongly encourage them to conduct and regularly review Escape, Evacuation and Rescue Analyses (EERAs) consistent with these guidelines, regardless of vessel construction date.

On 25 March 2026, the Commission recommended Maritime New Zealand work with the Ministry of Transport and collaborate with other stakeholders to continue to develop, and then implement, a wider maritime incident response strategy assessment to identify areas most susceptible to very serious marine casualties, particularly mass fatality events, and strengthen the salvage and rescue capability in those areas.

On 25 March 2026, the Commission recommended that Maritime New Zealand prioritise the review of its Maritime Incident Readiness and Response Strategy (MIRRS) to ensure it is consistent with international conventions, resolutions and guidance, and incorporates the following: • an updated national maritime risk assessment • specific Cook Strait response plans • an across-stakeholder exercise programme.

On 25 March 2026, the Commission recommended that KiwiRail review their emergency response planning, training, resourcing and risk mitigations to assure themselves they could effectively respond to a maritime emergency. The review should include examination of international conventions, resolutions and guidance that outline best practices.

On 25 March 2026, the Commission recommended that KiwiRail effectively implement the decision-support system for its vessels’ engineering departments and regularly exercise it to ensure crew familiarisation and its effectiveness.