
Port Nelson Fine Highlights Maritime Safety Issues
The company was sentenced on 6 May at the Nelson District Court after earlier pleading guilty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to breaching its duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers.
The incident, which occurred during the night of 16 January 2023 when a faulty guard rail gave way on the container ship Maersk Nansha, left an RMTU member with physical injuries and serious emotional trauma after plunging into the sea at night.
RMTU General Secretary Todd Valster says while the fine acknowledges a breach of duty by Port Nelson, the issue is a systemic one.
"This was a horrifying ordeal for our member that could have easily been fatal. It highlights a dangerous confluence of lax health and safety standards in ports and the unacceptable condition of some overseas ships," Mr. Valster says.
"The fact that known issues with the ship's guard rails were not adequately addressed is a serious indictment. Our members, and all port workers, have the right to go to work knowing they are safe. This incident demonstrates a clear failure in that fundamental duty of care."
Mr. Valster says the spotlight needs to go on the seaworthiness and safety of international vessels calling at New Zealand ports.
"For too long, we've seen a race to the bottom with some international shipping lines operating rust buckets with little regard for the safety of their own crews or port workers who work on these vessels. This incident, involving a major international shipping line, shows even well-known operators are not immune to serious safety failings on their ships."
Mr Valster says port companies and shipping operators must be held fully accountable for ensuring a safe working environment. This includes rigorous checks on the seaworthiness and safety compliance of all visiting vessels, proper training, and safe staffing levels.
"The RMTU will continue to advocate for the safety and wellbeing of all rail and port workers.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Teacher faces four charges of indecent assault in Wellington District Court
The person is due to appear in court again next month. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King Secrecy surrounds the details of a teacher charged with multiple counts of indecent assault. The person appeared in Wellington District Court on Thursday, but all identifying information is suppressed until at least 19 August. They face four charges of indecent assault and one of intentionally impeding normal breathing by applying pressure to the throat. The charges relate to the period between mid December 2024 and late February of this year. The person is due to appear in court again next month. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.


Scoop
a day ago
- Scoop
Effluent Mismanagement Attracts Large Fine
Press Release – Waikato Regional Council Arrick Limited was convicted and sentenced by District Court Judge Melinda Dickey on 4 February 2025 on a charge filed under the Resource Management Act, with the sentencing decision received this week. A prosecution taken by Waikato Regional Council has resulted in a Taupiri farming company being convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment. Arrick Limited was convicted and sentenced by District Court Judge Melinda Dickey on 4 February 2025 on a charge filed under the Resource Management Act, with the sentencing decision received this week. In November 2023, council officers conducted a compliance inspection at a farm owned by the defendant at Taupiri, north of Hamilton. They found the dairy effluent storage pond was overflowing, with effluent ponding in the surrounding paddock at such a depth and volume that it posed a risk of contaminating groundwater. In her sentencing decision, Judge Dickey found that the system was poorly managed in the time leading up to the offending and concluded that the defendant had been highly careless in its management of proper effluent disposal on the farm. 'Unfortunately, this is a case where the defendant has failed to address effluent management on the property despite repeated requests by the council since 2012 for the farm owner to upgrade the farm effluent system and previous discharges from the same pond,' said acting Regional Compliance Manager Evan Billington. 'The rules are very clear, and do not permit the discharge and ponding of effluent from effluent holding facilities. That's because large volumes of ponded effluent can pose a real risk of contaminating groundwater.'

1News
2 days ago
- 1News
Alleged car thief in Canterbury chooses wrong property to target
A suspected car thief has been stopped in his tracks by a Selwyn family yesterday morning following a string of alleged burglaries. On Monday evening, the 27-year-old allegedly stole a vehicle – a white Nissan Presage – from Hornby, in Christchurch. The car was crashed and abandoned in West Melton just after midnight. Over the next few hours, police allege the man "attempted to break into more vehicles and steal from several properties". A car owner disturbed the man as he attempted to break into his vehicle in the Kingsdowne Dr area around 8am on Tuesday and called police. 'The car owner and his family were able to hold the offender until we arrived which probably prevented more crime,' Senior Sergeant Rachel Walker said. ADVERTISEMENT The man has been remanded in custody to appear in the Christchurch District Court on August 13 on dishonesty charges. Walker is urging residents in the Willfield area in West Melton to check any CCTV from between midnight and 8am on Tuesday. Anyone with footage or who witnessed the crash involving a Nissan Presage is asked to make a report online or call 105.