A New Zealand maritime union has welcomed the government’s plans to invest NZ$36 million (US$28 million) in coastal shipping.
The ITF-affiliated Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) has claimed that the release of the government’s final domestic shipping strategy, “Sea Change”, last week was a positive move for New Zealand shipping. MUNZ Vice President Garry Parsloe stated that funding of NZ$36 million to develop coastal shipping over the next four years was a major boost.
“The Maritime Union wants to see some of this funding put towards the training of young New Zealanders for careers in the maritime industry, which is the only real solution to skills shortages,” he said.
Parsloe also welcomed the announcement that the government would aim to see 30 per cent of all inter-regional domestic freight moved by coastal shipping by 2040 and planned to clarify Section 198 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, which deals with the movement of coastal cargo by international vessels between domestic ports. This, said Parsloe, could offer a potential boost for New Zealand-owned coastal shipping.