As Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) informs, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) seeks public review of maritime levy options to fund seafarers’ welfare.
Since 2019, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) has been seeking ways to deliver changes to welfare funding mechanisms, in response to the New Zealand Seafarer Welfare Board’s (SWB), welfare stakeholders, and Human Rights at Seas calls for effective and sustainable changes.
This work forms part of the wider Human Rights at Sea Maritime Levy Campaign which aims to improve welfare standards and facilities for all seafarers globally.
The New Zealand Minister of Transport, the Honourable Michael Wood confirmed to Human Rights at Sea the forthcoming legislative change to the Maritime Transport Act for long-term and sustainable funding of seafarer’s centres.
This follows the international report issued by the charity in April 2020, “New Zealand: Under-Funding of Seafarers’ Welfare Services and Poor MLC Compliance” drafted in direct support of the New Zealand Seafarers’ Welfare Board’s efforts to achieve this change.
In a letter received by the charitable NGO, the Minister made a number of key points updating the Government’s position.
In March 2021, amendments to maritime levy laws were passed, specifying that levy funds must be used to improve seafarers’ welfare, as opposed to the previous situation where seafarers’ welfare was not a mandatory expenditure from the proceeds of the maritime levy.