NZ Coastal Tankers

New Zealand Coastal Tankers: 95 years of service

By Hector Thorpe Auckland Branch Local 13 President Bosun, Matuku

I would like to acknowledge our past members. As unionists they fought for the right to be involved in our coastal petroleum trade from the overseas vessels with dubious safety standards that dominated our coast. In 1927, Tom Young, outgoing President of the Federated Seamen’s Union, was handing over the reins to incoming President Fintan Patrick Walsh. Together they realised that we shouldn’t be reliant on foreign-flagged and foreign owned shipping to maintain our fuel supply so acted to secure a purpose built, New Zealand flagged coastal tanker Paua.

During those early years oil tankers were a new concept as technology had not really supported carrying bulk liquids effectively, mostly because of the ineffective pumping systems for discharging of the cargo. Although the Paua had cargo tanks with a pumping system she also carried petroleum in tins and cases for discharging via her derricks at ports that were not geared up for receiving cargo pumped ashore.

Pioneering years

Like the wharfies, miners and other blue-collar workers, there was a degree of Kiwi ingenuity and a pioneering spirit in this newly established petroleum coastal trade. However, they were well aware of the consequence of oil spills so high standards were maintained. Considering the many thousands of ship movements and cargo operations over the years, our coastal petroleum trade remains uneventful, incident and pollution free, a record we are very proud of.

However, when the tankers were sold off and left the New Zealand coast, sailing under flag of convenience standards, many came to grief, and more importantly many seafarers were subsequently killed or injured.

The Paua for example, was declared a constructive total loss after running aground near Sittwe, Burma. The Hamilton exploded in Manila Bay killing thirty of the fifty-eight Chinese, Indonesian and Filipino crew, and many others suffered from burns. The Amokura sister ship Kurdistan, ran into ice and broke in half near the Cabot Strait between Newfoundland Island and Cape Breton Island and the Amokura itself grounded near the Paraná River, Uruguay.

Marsden Point Oil Refinery

Marsden Point Oil Refinery near Whangarei was kicked off by the Nash Labour government in the late 1950s and this huge project came on stream in 1964. It was named after Ernest Marsden, Professor of Physics at Victoria University and was New Zealand’s only refinery which enabled less reliance on international markets and was very important for our security of supply.

Marsden Point’s increased production meant the introduction of larger capacity coastal tankers which started with the arrival of the Athelviscount in 1965. Ever since the refinery has undergone improvements to keep up with demand, the most recent being the $365 million Te Mahi Hou expansion, which may have been a factor in the investment of the new tanker Matuku.

Majority ownership of the refinery is held by three oil majors Z Energy, BP and Mobil. They also charter the two coastal tankers via their third-party company, Coastal Oil Logistics (COLL) who manage the distribution and ship scheduling. Ship management operator ASP/Silver Fern Shipping represent their ship management, marine and crewing logistics interest. Silver Fern Shipping have continued to be proactive in the introduction of youth into the industry with Officer Cadets, Engineer Cadets and MUNZ Deck/Engine Room trainees.

While fuel is supplied to Auckland from a pipeline which connects Marsden Point to Wiri, and the smaller tanker Awanuia supplies Auckland’s cargo vessels and cruise liners, 50 percent of New Zealand’s fuel is supplied by the Kiwi tankers Matuku and Kokako.

Enormous Scale New Zealand Tankers

Paua (1,260 gross tonnage) 1927 to 1950 Tanea (3,060 gross tonnage) 1950 to 1964 Maurea (2,928 gross tonnage) 1964 to 1970 Athelviscount (12,778 gross tonnage) 1965 to 1978 Hamilton (13,186 gross tonnage) 1967 to 1975 Erne (14,224 gross tonnage) 1970 to 1984 Kotuku (16,221 gross tonnage) 1975 to 1998 Kuaka (16,221 gross tonnage) 1976 to 1996 Amokura (19,867 gross tonnage) 1978 to 1993 Tarihiko (2,169 gross tonnage) 1984 to 1999 Taiko (21,187 gross tonnage) 1984 to 2006 Toanui (23,547 gross tonnage) 1996 to 1999 Kakariki (27,795 gross tonnage) 1999 to 2017 Torea (25,400 gross tonnage) 2006 to 2016 Awanuia (2,747 gross tonnage) 2009 to current day Matuku (29,700 gross tonnage) 2016 to 2022 Kokako (29,470 gross tonnage) 2017 to 2022

Safety remains a focus today. The sheer force and speed of the modern pumping systems geared for petrol, diesel, aviation jet fuel, heavy fuel oil, bitumen and the light fuel oil we carry is astounding. Heating of the heavy fuel oil cargo is maintained at temperatures of around 40°C to 60°C. Asphalt/bitumen is typically heated at temperatures on board at around 150°C so as to maintain its fluid state.

Loading and discharge operations at speed is precise and technical as are the hundreds of ship movements required over a 24/7 annual operation. With a total ship complement of only twenty persons, the Bosun is part of the morning ship management meetings and ratings are integrated into all aspects of ship board operations. The whole thing is gelled by the Catering department represented by one cook and one steward. Challenges on board are similar to the specialised work carried out by other MUNZ members in their respective trades.

Best practice

On board we are governed by three maritime unions with collective agreements. Historically there has been a good working relationship with management and together we have established a body of best practices. We also follow international law from hull design, inert gas systems, cargo operation, pre-transfer operations, tank cleaning, enclosed space entry, ballast, pollution, firefighting, search and rescue, navigation, certification, Port State control, Classification audits, etc. I have referred to the tankers below in gross tonnage which is calculated based on the volume of enclosed spaces of the ship as used to determine things such as the ship’s manning regulations, safety rules, registration fees, and port dues as opposed to dead weight which refers to the ship’s carrying capacity.

Redundancy

There has been lots of employment opportunities for Kiwi seafarers on the tankers as a result of the union’s initial campaign back in the 1920’s. After ninety-five years of profit gouging from the oil majors, the tanker crews on the Matuku and Kokako received notice of redundancy Christmas 2021, with deadline of the two tankers being taken out of service 1 April 2022.

It is a disgrace that the oil majors have initiated a strategy of dumping our service in the interest of more profit, not the national interest, by allowing our coastal tanker shipping industry to be taken over by foreign-flagged and foreign-owned vessels with dubious safety standard and exploitative labour practices.

The petrol companies untested ‘supply chain model’ (SCM) will see fuels supplied to the tanks at Marsden Point and all other New Zealand ports directly imported from overseas refineries with foreign crews. This decision will be regretted as our national fuel supply becames increasingly expensive and insecure.

Wellington Branch Assistant Secretary John Whiting attended his last Wellington Branch Executive meeting held at National Office on 25 November 2021. We had a very good turnout. As Auckland was still in lockdown, we had a video link with the National Officers to wish John well for his retirement. Those in attendance included the Wellington Branch Executive, National Vice President Josh Greer, National office staff, John’s family, and some managers along with his comrades. It’s been an honour and a privilege to have John as part of the Wellington Branch and he will be missed. We all wish you well John and look forward to seeing you when you’re passing by, happy retirement, hei konei ra – Tony Mowbray, Wellington Branch President

Wellington News

By Jim King, Wellington Branch Secretary/Treasurer

KiwiRail

Kiwirail and other various Shipping companies may make Application to MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment ) to source overseas crew to work on New Zealand vessels.

A meeting was held with KiwiRail/Interisland Line (KRIIL) management on 25 February, attended by MUNZ, NZMSG, AMEA and RMTU, over concerns the unions have with their recruitment process KR-IIL have advised all unions, that the only new employees they are looking for offshore are Able Seamen, for which MUNZ has coverage.

I told KR-IIL their intention to apply for an exemption from MBIE to source foreign labour is premature. They should wait until such time as we get confirmation on the future of the oil tankers and have a better idea of availability of New Zealand AB’s.

I said KR-IIL need to give more time for New Zealand seafarers to make themselves available for work, with the possibility of unemployed seafarers being available for employment in approximately 60 to 90 days.

KR-IIL need to reintroduce domestic travel to allow seafarers to work on their vessels, and the HR department need a complete shake up in terms of how they communicate with applicants.

We subsequently held a further follow up meeting on 9 March. MUNZ agreed there needs to be a solution for the overseas recruitment of AB’s to InterIslander.

All parties are in agreement we need to be trying to fill these roles from within New Zealand in the first instance. KR-IIL still have ongoing advertising and referrals.

Actions from the meeting. Tony Mowbray has provided me a name of a potential AB and KR has made contact with them.

KR-IIL will check on the status as to whether they can offer Fixed Term contracts rather than Permanent contracts to overseas crew. We have made our position clear, if overseas labour is to be sourced, we want fixed term only, even this does not make us happy.

StraitNZ (Bluebridge, Vessels)

Still looking for AB’S.

Trainees

We are still looking for keen and interested young people who would like to go onto our trainee database. Names are very slow to come in. I have asked many times at our stop work meetings, National Council, and through the branch newsletter, and still not having much success.

Therefore, please ask your family and friends if they would like to be considered to ship out as a trainee. If so please have them submit their CV to me so I can put their names into our database.

Offshore

COVID

Tortuga, Southern Star, and MMA Vision have all had COVID cases, and our members have been required to isolate in various hotels around New Plymouth.

I have been advised that our members were ordered off their vessel to isolate in a designated facility, while a chief engineer with COVID was permitted to stay on the vessel whilst the vessel was in port. This was totally unacceptable to MUNZ. A letter was sent to Mikael Aldridge, Principal Advisor, Stakeholder Engagement at Maritime New Zealand. He referred the letter to the Ministry of Health. MOH’s response was the management of cases on ships is done by the respective Public Health Unit (PHU). In this case the crew were managed by Taranaki PHU.

The decision of how best to approach isolation and quarantine is also decided by the Medical Officer of Health/Health Protection Officer at the PHU.

The Maritime Border Order allows for isolation to occur on a ship in clause 17 (1a). Clause 17 (4) allows for transfer to a MIQF. Clause 18 (1) also allows for transfer to a place of isolation to other accommodations provided the Medical Officer of Health/Health Protection Officer is reasonably satisfied and is done to manage public health risk, for the persons safety and to ensure compliance.

To summarise, for the purposes of isolation or quarantine, the Maritime Border Order allows the choices of where to isolate, and this decision is made by the Medical Officer of Health/Health Protection Officer.

PHUs look at each case and scenario carefully and their decisions are based on public health risk, safety, and compliance. Therefore, there may be variations to their approach depending on the circumstances and situations.

Atlas

Southern Star is now working out New Plymouth, this campaign is expected to last around 60–90 days.

NIWA Vessels

I will put a memo out sometime in April to all MUNZ members on the NIWA vessels, calling for remits for 2022 Wage Negotiations.

Wellington Database

Auckland and Wellington have a shortage of seafarers on both the data bases. This may alter due to the coastal tanker layoffs.

Wage rounds current

NIWA – Initiate bargaining April, and call for remits Higgins Tow Service Picton – Current, negotiation mode.

By Gerard Loader Lyttelton Branch Local 43 President

I hope this report finds you all well and settled into the uncertainty that is 2022, ready to take on the challenges that no doubt await us individually as branches and collectively as a National organization.

Like everywhere else in the country COVID(Omicron) is making its mark in Port of Lyttelton. In the LPC terminal we have been in our "bubbles" since the first positive case in Canterbury. Although this is not as tight as when we were in a mandated lockdown with some overtime available and limited mixing of groups on the job.

The members (quite rightly) are getting a bit pissed off with the restrictions put on us but most understand that it is something we have to put up with to keep the port operational for both the Canterbury and wider South Island economy and supply chain.

Hopefully these restrictions will only be on us for a short time. I would like to acknowledge the frustration and work put in by Local 43 members throughout this and thank you all for your patience and understanding and generally just getting on with it, thank you Comrades.

As you are aware a lot of events and gatherings have been cancelled due to COVID. Local 43 members deciding to not attend this year's Interport due to the risk of another Personally I have had my big three mountain bike races cancelled (Mototapu Queenstown, Contact Epic Lake Hayes and the big one The Whaka100 in Rotorua) which was a kick in the guts after all the training that goes in.

On a positive note our local team "The Otitahians" with MUNZ members Kendra Roddis, Jaega Banga and ex member Johnny Brewer managed to compete in this year's edition of “Godzone” which is one of the hardest endurance races in the world with this year's event taking them from Fiordland to Dunedin which they manged to complete in seven days. Well done team.

On the community front I had the privilege of coaching a group of local teenagers making up two teams in the sport of Touch with help from fellow MUNZ member Jordan Paulsen. Both teams made their respective finals (men's and mixed) with the men's team drawing and the mixed team winners by default, so a good season for a great bunch of young adults.

Although COVID and all it entails has been an inconvenience to us, the reality is it pales in comparison to what our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine are going through at the moment with the illegal invasion from Putin, and all the death, destruction and broken families that go with horrendous acts such as this. My heartfelt prayers go to everyone who is affected by this illegal war, and I hope that dialogue and common sense shine through to end this conflict.

Port of Lyttelton International Workers Memorial Day

Thursday 28 April 2022 Speech by Branch President Gerard Loader

Hello everyone, welcome.

My name is Gerard Loader, foreman stevedore and President of the Maritime Union of New Zealand Local 43. It is with both a sense of honor and sadness that I stand here today to say a few words on this Workers Memorial Day.

I feel honoured that I am representing and speaking for those workmates, comrades and fellow employees around the country that have died on the job and not gone home to their families at the end of the day, and sadness for exactly the same reasons, as the recent death of fellow MUNZ member Atiroa Tuaiti on the Capitane Tasman in Auckland on the 19th of this month highlights.

I am sure I speak for everyone here in saying our heartfelt love and condolences go out to his family and friends at this sad time, and as you are all aware, here in Lyttelton we have experienced the heart break of losing friends and loved ones not only over the last 10 years and more but tragically on Monday 25 April ANZAC Day with the death of a loved and respected member while carrying out his duties as a coal hatchman on the ETG Aquarius. My deepest and heartfelt condolences go out to family, friends, “C” group brothers and sisters and anyone else who has been affected by this terrible and untimely death. So we know and understand what the heartache is like and how it effects everyone in the workplace and wider communities that these people lived in.

I also feel that today we should be remembering not only the tragic fatalities around the country, but also the seriously crippling injuries suffered by thousands of employees in different roles that have had their livelihoods stolen from them all to soon. Which to the individual and their family would be exactly like a death as their quality of life and income has been taken in an instant. Unfortunately, a lot of these accidents will have been avoidable if proper safety procedures had been in place or followed correctly.

Even though this is a time of remembrance for those who have lost their lives on the job, it is also a time to take stock, both individually as a person and collectively as companies and unions to see where we are at now with health and safety and to ensure that moving forward we all work hard to ensure that our workplace, which traditionally by the nature of the work is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, is a safe place for all who use it, whether that be employees, contractors or visitors alike, and to that end I lay down the challenge that we all do our utmost in ensuring that LPC and the wider port of Lyttelton is as safe a place as possible to work.

Thank you all for attending todays memorial and for giving me the opportunity to speak. Be safe and look after each other. Thank you.