The vessel is fully loaded and is alongside in Timaru and is not allowed to depart. A Port State inspection carried out by Maritime New Zealand has issued the Southern Tiare with a defect code 99. This means it must be rectified before departure.

The defect stated is: No record of continuous watch keeping in the engine room. The Southern Tiare has one engineer only. We have been operating fully compliant with conditions of our flag state with one engineer. We have been operating this way since 2016. The conditions of the defect are to be rectified before departure to the satisfaction of Flag State Administration and Port State Authority. This would require more engineers to be present on the vessel which would mean the removal of able seamen and stockmen from the vessel to accommodate more engineers. This then reduces our ability to conduct our own stevedoring and tend to the livestock on the vessel creating more uncertainty on how Chatham Islands businesses get their product to market, or how we get essential supplies to the island.

No forewarning was given, or discussion had with Port State or Maritime New Zealand regarding changes to the manning of the vessel.

I apologise that after three months of the vessel being out of service for repairs, that we have only been able to conduct four voyages and now Maritime New Zealand have taken our ability to operate the vessel away at present.

Our Ship Managers are in contact with Maritime Cook Islands and Maritime New Zealand to attempt to resolve this situation.

At this stage I have no time frame for a resolution. I will say that this change in requirement’s should have been discussed with CISL when the vessel was undergoing maintenance.

We now find ourselves in a similar position, the Southern Tiare cannot service the island and there is no other vessel able to service the entire needs of our community.

For customers with perishable items on the vessel we do apologise for this delay.

I will update as information is made available.

Craig Kerwin

Chatham Islands Shipping Ltd

Ph 027 271 3846

Email [email protected]

We welcome Mereraina to our team.

Mere will be working from the CIET offices and home.  If you want to update your contact details please email [email protected] and for accounts and invoice enquiries Mere will be able to assist.

Our bank account details are on the invoice that is emailed to you. 

We also advise that eftpos and credit card payment facilities are available at Waitangi and Timaru (there is a credit card surcharge fee of 2.3%)

Online customer credit card payments can be made by phoning Mere at 0225440840.