In accordance with section 446(a) and (b) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, Maritime New Zealand, on behalf of the Associate Minister of Transport, gives notice of the Minister’s intention to make the following maritime rules and marine protection rules (“proposed rules”):

Proposed Regulatory Amendments Package 3 (RAP 3): Maritime Rules Amendments 2026 and Marine Protection Rules Various Amendments 2026

The proposed rules, included in the Invitation to Comment document (“Regulatory Amendments Package 3 (RAP 3.0)”), contain a wide range of amendments to maritime rules and marine protection rules, for the following purposes:

• Proposing a national requirement to regulate ship fuel changeover and mitigate the associated risks and to seek sector feedback on the uptake of scrubbers in the territorial sea of New Zealand. This includes provisions to enable the Director to make marine protection transport instruments;
• Implementing the Government’s decision to use the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) as New Zealand’s primary mechanism to meet domestic ship obligations under MARPOL Annex VI (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships). Maritime New Zealand is interested to hear stakeholder’s views on having the option to comply with MARPOL carbon intensity requirements in the Rules. This includes provisions to enable the Director to make marine protection transport instruments;
• To make minor refinements to rules relating to Skipper Two Nautical Miles (S2NM) certificates;
• To align the rules with New Zealand’s obligations under IMO conventions and to reflect minor technical changes to those conventions;
• To make a number of minor corrections and clarifications to various rules.

In addition, pursuant to section 452C of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, the Director of Maritime NZ is consulting on a draft Marine Protection Transport Instrument under the proposed new enabling provision described in the first bullet point above.

Comments are invited on the proposed rules, which were developed under the Maritime Transport Act 1994.

Consultation will commence on 9 April 2026.

The Invitation to Comment document, including the proposed rules, can be found at: https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/public/consultation/regulatory-amendments-package-2026-RAP3/.

Submissions must be made by email or post by 5.00pm on 15 May 2026.

Email submissions must be addressed to consultations@maritimenz.govt.nz.

Post submissions can be sent to PO Box 25620, Wellington 6140. Please address postal submissions to the Regulatory Policy Design Team.

Copies of the consultation documents are available free of charge from Maritime New Zealand, Level 11, 1 Grey Street, Wellington, by contacting consultations@maritimenz.govt.nz or by writing to PO Box 25620, Wellington 6140.

SEAN COOPER, Manager Regulatory Policy Design, Maritime New Zealand.