The latest Council news and events
Our staff and elected representatives
Find out about upcoming meetings and read agendas
Social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing
How to request official information from the Council
The Chathams Islands is a remote, awe-inspiring place
Information on the upcoming local election
Sets out our work and priorities for the next financial year
Our work and priorities for the next decade
An overview of the Council’s activity for 2020/21
Understanding hazards and risks to build capability
A report on the Chatham Islands economy
The Chatham Islands has about 360 kilometres of coastline that is used extensively for commercial fishing as well as recreation.
We are required by the Local Government Act 2002(external link) and the Maritime Transport Act 1994(external link) to promote, maintain and sustain a safe environment for both commercial and recreational maritime activities in the Chatham Islands’ waterways.
Any accident or incident involving a cruise ship, or its tender operation, must be reported to the Harbourmaster immediately and followed up with a written report with 48 hours. A report must also be made to Maritime New Zealand(external link).
Harbour control is undertaken primarily to ensure safety in our waterways.
The Chatham Islands Council Navigation Safety Bylaws 2013 have been developed after wide consultation with the Chathams community, to support safe navigation practices, to reduce risk, and generally to manage boating and other activities in the Islands’ coastal waters.
The Chatham Islands Navigation Safety Bylaws 2013 were reviewed in June 2021 by the Chatham Island Council and deemed fit for purpose. They also took this opportunity to approve a few definition and formatting improvements, but no major changes were required.
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The Chatham Islands is remote, sparsely populated and has little in the way of infrastructure to deal with any possible shipping incident.
As such, no large vessel such as a cruise ship shall enter into, or remain within, the Chatham Islands Area of Restricted Access (‘the Area’) without the prior approval of the Harbourmaster.
For more information on Navigation Safety Operating Requirements for large vessels:
Download PDF (3 MB)
We prepare maintain and review Regional Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plans as required by the Maritime Transport Act 1994(external link).
Contact details for Regional Harbourmaster Joshua 'Joss' Thomas are as follows:
