Maritime Event
Pursuant to section 200A (3) (d) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, I give notice that I have received from the Auckland Regional Council an application to declare
the Louis Vuitton Cup 2002/2003, the Thirty-first America's Cup Match and the Defender's Internal Racing Campaign to be events to which section 200B of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 applies for the period from 1 October 2002
to 6 March 2003 inclusive, and that I intend to make a declaration to that effect by notice in the New Zealand Gazette.
Proposed Areas, Conditions and Requirements
It is intended that the following conditions and requirements will apply to the areas as described:
America's Cup Village Area
This area is defined as those waters which lie to the south of a line joining the northernmost ends of Wynyard Wharf and Princes Wharf.
Within this area, the following conditions and requirements will apply:
1. All vessels are restricted to a maximum speed of 5 knots.
2. No vessel may approach within 100 metres of vessels transferring fuels or chemicals at Wynyard Wharf.
3. All vessels must obtain clearance from Viaduct Control on VHF Channel 73 before entering this area or leaving any berth in this area.
Inner Harbour West
This area is defined as that sea area lying to the east of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and to the west of a line drawn between Point Resolution and the south-eastern end of Devonport Wharf.
Within this area, the following requirement applies:
All vessels, excluding those plying registered ferry operations, are restricted to a maximum speed of
10 knots.
Inner Harbour East
This area is defined as that sea area bounded to the west by a line drawn between Point Resolution and the south-eastern end of Devonport Wharf, to the south by No. 8 and No. 10 buoys, and the northern tip of Fergusson Wharf, to the east by Bean Rocks Lighthouse and by No. 6 and No. 4 buoys,
to the north by latitude 36 46.7' S.
Within this area, the following conditions and requirements apply:
1. All vessels, excluding those plying registered ferry operations, or those using the high-speed lane at the southern and eastern boundaries of the area, are restricted to a maximum speed of 10 knots.
2. The commercial shipping channel is reserved for the use of commercial shipping operations controlled by the Ports of Auckland Limited and by those vessels specifically authorised to use this channel by the Auckland Regional Council's Harbourmaster.
Race Track Area
This area is defined as the sea area bounded to the south
by latitude 36 46.7' S, to the west by the coastline of
the North Shore, to the north by the coastline of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula extended to the southern tip of Tiritiri Matangi Island and thence to 36 36' S 174 59' E, to the east by a line drawn from position 36 36' S 174 59' E to the Ahaaha Rocks thence to the northern tip of Rakino Island and thence by a line from the northern tip of
Rakino Island to Billy Goat Point and along the shoreline
of Motutapu and Rangitoto Islands, to join with latitude 36 46.7' S.
Within this area, race courses will be established for the Louis Vuitton Cup 2002/2003, the Thirty-first America's Cup Match and the Defender's Internal Racing Campaign from day to day and will be publicly announced.
Inside the race courses the following condition will apply:
Only competing International America's Cup Class yachts, associated tenders, umpires, marshal boats and vessels accredited by the event organisers may navigate within the race course area during the period of racing operations for that day.
Outside the established race courses, normal navigation is permitted although speed restrictions may be imposed in coastal areas.
General Conditions and Requirements
The following applies to all areas specified above.
The Auckland Regional Council may:
1. order the suspension or abandonment of racing operations if, in the opinion of the Auckland Regional Council's Harbourmaster, adequate levels of public safety cannot be guaranteed. This power will be exercised in consultation with the New Zealand Police, the event organiser and Ports of Auckland Limited.
2. specify and vary conditions and requirements for the day-to-day management and conduct of activities within each area, for the purpose of protecting the safety of the public and the International America's Cup Class yachts and their support craft.
On race days, the co-ordination and management of commercial shipping in Waitemata Harbour will be conducted jointly between the Auckland Regional Council's Harbourmaster and Marine Services Manager, Ports of Auckland Limited.
Proposed Hours of Operation
All areas, except the America's Cup Village area, will generally be active from 0800 to 1800 hours (subject to changes determined on a daily basis). The specific hours of operation will be announced on public broadcasting and marine communication channels.
The America's Cup Village area will be active 24 hours a day for the entire period covered by the proposed declaration.
Means of Enforcement
Compliance with the above conditions and requirements will be enforced by appointed enforcement officers, as defined in section 200B (6) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994.
Under section 200B (5) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, any person in charge of a ship, craft or seaplane who contravenes this notice commits an infringement offence and is liable to the relevant penalty prescribed in the Maritime Transport (Infringement Fees for Offences Relating to Major Maritime Events) Regulations 1999.
Application to Enforcement Officers
Enforcement officers may, in the course of their duties, be exempt from rules or conditions applying in respect of
the areas to which the notice applies but must at all
times navigate in accordance with Maritime Rule Part
22: Collision Prevention.
Comments on This Notice
Any person or organisation may forward written comments on this proposal to Tamara Mutu, Ministry of Transport, P.O. Box 3175, Wellington, provided such comments are received at the above address no later than Friday, 26 July 2002 at 5.00 p.m.
Comments are submitted on the presumption that they will be made public.
If submitters do not wish this to occur, a statement to that effect should be made.
Dated at Wellington this 18th day of June 2002.
JUDITH TIZARD, Acting Minister of Transport.