Editorial: Auriga visit shows risks

Vega Auriga coming into Tauranga Harbour. Photo / George Novak

If the unwelcome visit of the Vega Auriga has taught us anything, it's that New Zealand should sign up to the Maritime Labour Convention as soon as possible.

The notorious ship, which has been banned from Australian ports, docked at the Port of Tauranga at the weekend sparking concern nothing under international law could be done to prevent the vessel from visiting.

The Australian ban came under the rules of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, which New Zealand, sadly, has not yet signed up to.

Buddy Mikaere, spokesman for Motiti Island hapu, says the arrival of Vega Auriga underlines the weakness of New Zealand's maritime laws.

He rightly points out that concerns about the ship are set against against the background of the Rena disaster.

Independent MP Brendan Horan has labelled the ship a "ticking time bomb that must be banned from New Zealand".

Their concerns were justified after inspectors who boarded the Vega Auriga after it berthed and found 14 deficiencies, 11 of which must be rectified before it can leave port or New Zealand.

The problems relate to maintenance, seaworthiness and crew rest periods. Similar issues were identified by marine authorities in Australia. It has been detained three times in Australian ports since July last year and was declared "unseaworthy and substandard" by Australian Maritime Safety Authority manager Allan Schwartz.

The owners of the vessel must face consequences for continually breaching conditions. Australia has taken the right approach and it is a shame we are not in a position to do the same.

Consultation on the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 needs to be carried out before it is put before a select committee.

It then has to be legislated and ratified before it comes into effect in New Zealand.

We can assume that it will be some time before New Zealand is in a position to ban this vessel. The one positive to emerge from all this is that it has highlighted a serious gap in our Maritime laws that needs to plugged as soon as possible.