One more week to have your say on SeaCert
30 May 2016

Nearly 250 seafarers around the country have so far attended public meetings to discuss proposals for changes to SeaCert certification rules.

Meetings will be held this week in in Whangarei, Gisborne, Tauranga and Christchurch (details below), after successful meetings in Wellington, Invercargill, Greymouth, Nelson and Auckland.

With one week to go before the consultation on the proposed rule changes closes on 7 June, around 130 submissions have been received.

SeaCert was introduced in April 2014 but the rate of transition by seafarers with older or legacy tickets to the new framework has been very low – several hundred, rather than the several thousand expected.

Time and cost have been highlighted as a barrier for many seafarers taking action. After talking to industry, Maritime NZ is proposing rule changes to make it easier and cheaper for seafarers with old certificates to keep doing what they are currently doing.

The key proposal is for seafarers who hold some types of old or legacy certificates to be able to choose to have their certificate ring-fenced. This would mean they could continue to use their older certificates at no cost. They would still have an option to transition to a new certificate in SeaCert at a later date.

The proposal does not offer ring-fencing as an option for three older certificates: NZ Coastal Master, NZ Offshore Master, NZ Offshore Watchkeeper. This is because these certificates allow seafarers to work on vessels on which international requirements apply. It is proposed, however, to extend the deadline for transition of these certificates.

Other rule change proposals include removing the need for seafarers with Able Seaman certificates to transition to SeaCert and no longer requiring ratings to renew certificates every five years. Changes are also proposed to the Skipper Restricted Limits passenger and seasonal endorsements.

Following the submission deadline on 7 June, Maritime New Zealand will analyse the submissions and prepare draft rule changes that will be put before the Associate Minister of Transport in coming months.

“There’s still time for seafarers to find out about how the proposed changes might affect them and for them to have their say on the final shape of those proposals. Full information on the current proposals is available on Maritime New Zealand’s website, by attending any of the remaining meetings or by calling our office,” said Maritime NZ Director Keith Manch.

The consultation documents, including a video Q&A on the proposals, is available at: www.maritimenz.govt.nz/consultation/seacert

Maritime NZ is asking seafarers with old or legacy certificates to register their tickets at www.maritimenz.govt.nz/legacy or by calling 04 494 1559.

This week’s meetings (6pm unless stated):
Whangarei – Monday 30 May –Forum North, 7 Rust Avenue, Whangarei
Tauranga –Tuesday 31 May – Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club, 90 Keith Allen Drive, Tauranga
Gisborne - Wednesday June 1 – The Whitehouse, 69 Peel Street, Gisborne
Christchurch – Friday 3 June 2016 – 8.30am – Commercial Fishermen Conference, Rydges Latimer Hotel, 30 Latimer Square, Christchurch

ENDS

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