A review into the future of the New Zealand Shipping Industry was announced today by the Minister of Transport Mark Gosche.

Mr Gosche said that the review would be making strategic recommendations to the Government on what could be done to increase New Zealand’s participation in shipping and maritime services.

“The Government believes that, as a maritime nation, New Zealand needs to carefully consider what type of industry it needs to have.”

“The review will look at the size and type of New Zealand participation that is sustainable, taking into account our current participation along with domestic and international shipping trends.”

“What this Government wants is to get a fair and competitive shipping policy that will involve New Zealanders as much as possible in maritime and shipping services.”

The review, which will start shortly, will be conducted by representatives from various sectors of the shipping industry, including ship owners, shippers, manufacturers and unions.

Fiscal, social, environmental and economic aspects would all be assessed, Mr Gosche said.

The review team is to be chaired by Mr Ian Mackay, a former chair of the Maritime Safety Authority and a person with wide experience in the shipping industry both domestic and international. The five other members of the review team will bring a wide variety of expertise and views.

The review team is to report back to the Minister of Transport within three months of its establishment

Ends

REVIEW TEAM MEMBERS

Chair:
 Mr Ian Mackay: Former chair of the Maritime Safety Authority. Master mariner, maritime lawyer, former head of P and I Services (NZ) (shipowner liability insurers), and former member of the board of the Shipping Corporation.

Members

 Mr Rod Grout President of the NZ Shipping Federation; Managing Director of Pacifica Shipping Ltd.

 Mr Dave Morgan: National President: NZ Seafarers’ Union

 Mr Trevor Smith: Chairman, NZ Shippers Council; Technical Manager, Packaging NZ Dairy Board.

 Capt John Deeney: Practising master mariner with extensive experience in the Pacific and active in Merchant Service Guild.

 Mr Graham Cleghorn: Business Consultant. Board member of the NZ Manufacturers Federation, Chair of the Manufacturers Forum of the Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern).

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