A maritime union has welcomed the government’s plans to invest $28m 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 shipping. MUNZ Vice President Garry Parsloe said that funding to develop coastal shipping over the next four years was a major boost.
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.
Source: ITF