The government is strengthening New Zealand’s ageing seafarer workforce and enhancing supply-chain resilience with investments in entry-level training.
“Our local seafaring industry is under significant pressure. Many experienced seafarers are nearing retirement, and strong competition from international shipping, combined with thin margins, makes it difficult for Kiwi operators to train replacements,” Associate Transport Minister James Meager said.
“These ongoing issues are threatening the long-term resilience of our coastal freight services. That’s why we’ve committed $8.3 million from the Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund to trainee places on ships (known as training berths).”
According to Meager, this support will greatly alleviate financial burdens for domestic vessel operators training the future workforce. “It means they can cover things like trainees’ wages, food and travel, course costs and PPE equipment.”
“We’ve seen how recent storms and major events like Cyclone Gabrielle significantly impact communities. In many cases the only way to deliver essential supplies is by sea, due to road and rail links being cut off.”
“However, those vessels can only operate if they have skilled, qualified seafarers, engineers and deck officers to staff them. Training capacity is being severely constrained by the number of berths available.
Meager said maritime schools can deliver the necessary vocational training, but without on-sea training berths, trainees cannot join the workforce.
Sea time is typically required for other maritime roles, including port pilots, tug operators, harbourmasters, and ship surveyors.
For Meager, developing a home-grown talent pipeline will support not just coastal shipping but also the broader maritime sector vital to New Zealand’s local and national economy.
“It will ensure we can move our goods around the country, particularly in a time of crisis,” he added.