Maritime Union of New Zealand

The Maritime Union says the Government needs to boost its monitoring and enforcement of safety regulations for the offshore oil and gas industry.

A Government review released last week found the Department of Labour inspectorate responsible for the sector is significantly under-resourced.

One inspector covers offshore and onshore oil exploration for the entire country, a much lower level of coverage than in countries such as Australia, the UK and Norway.

Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says it is a high risk industry, which is a major part of the New Zealand economy and will become a bigger part.

The Union was heavily involved in the offshore oil and gas sector, which had great potential, but only if the highest standards were in place.

The Maritime Union would be making submissions in response to the Government report.

Mr Fleetwood says the Maritime Union is sending a clear message to the Government.

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee had stated the Government would like compliance to be “as efficient as possible” but the Maritime Union wanted compliance to be “as effective as possible.”

“Efficiency in our industry is a code word for saving dollars as far as we are concerned. We want effective compliance that works, and if doing it right costs more money, slows things down and is inconvenient to the Government or any employer, then too bad. The cost of getting it wrong is just far too high.”

The Maritime Union has been pressing for tighter regulations in the maritime sector.

“This includes all aspects of safety, all the way from correct use of gangway nets through to the seaworthiness of vessels and conditions of crews, and availability of response vessels for emergency situations. This extends through to the offshore sector.”

The number of deaths and injuries in the maritime and mining sector was high. The offshore oil and gas industry combined the risk factors for both industries.

2010 has seen a substantial number of deaths and injuries on board foreign vessels both in ports and working in and around the New Zealand coast and waters, as well as the recent Pike River disaster.

“We are a proactive Union – we want the regulations and monitoring to be at top standard before any incident, not in response to things that go wrong when it is too late.”

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says that too many workers being killed or injured on overseas vessels in and around New Zealand waters.

Five crew are confirmed dead and 17 missing presumed dead after the No. 1 In Sung sank at around 6.30am Monday 13 December, 2,700km south-east of Bluff.

The Korean-owned and operated fishing vessel visited Bluff annually from December 2006 to take on stores as it headed to the Ross Sea to fish for Antarctic toothfish.

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says while it is too early to comment on the reasons behind the sinking of the No. 1 In Sung, the Union was concerned that this was the second such incident in the past few months.

The Union offered its condolences to the families of the dead and its support to the survivors.

Mr Fleetwood said that the focus had to be on stopping disasters from happening.

“It shouldn’t be happening. We shouldn’t have to be pulling people out of the water. We have to ask in the 21st century why these incidents are now a regular event in our waters and nearby oceans.”

He said that as New Zealand search and rescue and New Zealand vessels were involved in rescue efforts, it was important that a New Zealand based inquiry was held to find out what had gone wrong.

In August 2010, three crew died after the Oyang 70 sank off the South Island.

Eyewitness reports indicate that an overweight net being pulled into the Oyang 70 caused it to destabilize and sink.

In another incident, two crew died from asphyxiation aboard the bulk carrier TPC Wellington in the Port of Whangarei in May 2010.

Mr Fleetwood says the Maritime Union has encountered ongoing problems experienced by overseas crews on merchant and fishing vessels, including health and safety issues.

A string of deaths, injuries, complaints of abuse and desertions have occurred over recent years.

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has offered its support and solidarity to the Pike River miners.

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says maritime workers understand the tough conditions that miners work in and share the concerns of all New Zealanders for the miners and their families.

“The special bond between miners and maritime workers goes back in New Zealand over a century, and history records the times when miners came to the assistance of maritime workers.”

“Thus we see these workers and their families and community as our own.”

The Maritime Union has offered support via the union representing many of the miners, the EPMU.