# Rescue tug too expensive for NZ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [December 2, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699 "2023-12-02T22:01:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/1 "2023-12-02T22:01:48Z")
> **[Dedicated rescue tug for New Zealand coastline likely too expensive,...](https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/503417/dedicated-rescue-tug-for-new-zealand-coastline-likely-too-expensive-harbourmaster-says)** > > Greater Wellington Regional Council says recent engine troubles with the domestic cargo ship the Rangitata is a further example of where they are relying on luck to avoid shipping incidents around the coast. Better to wait until a serious accident happen? ---
**Author:** ![Ladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a9a28c/32.png) [@Ladder](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Ladder)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/2 "2023-12-03T02:49:44Z")
The closest powerful AHTS to New Zealand is probably one located on the West Coast of Australia or in Singapore. Singapore is about 5000 NM away from New Zealand, it would take a powerful AHTS about 16 days to reach there at full speed. Investing in a powerful AHTS of at least 150t bollar pull would be a worth while investment. The running costs are a fraction of what it would cost to clean up the pollution from a ship going around. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/3 "2023-12-03T14:21:10Z")
Maybe cooperation with Australia would be feasible? A common Rescue tug stationed in Tasmania would be a reasonable distance from the NSW, Victoria and SA coast, as well as NZ: Port of Hobart, Australia to Port of Brisbane, Australia: _1182 nautical miles_. Port of Hobart, Australia to Port of Albany, Australia: _1503 nautical miles_ . Port of _Hobart\*\*Australia to Lyttelton_ Port of Christchurch, New Zealand: 1383 _nautical_ miles". PS\> There are still some offshore oil & gas activity in the Bass Strait (mostly decommissioning?) and the GAB that may need protective coverage: > [@](#): > > ### Offshore Southern Australia > > This region includes the following areas: > > - Bight Basin > - Gippsland Basin > - Kerguelen Plateau > - Otway Basin > - Sorell Basin > > #### Sensitive areas include: > > - Cape Leeuwin Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) > - Heavy commercial shipping traffic traverse the Great Australian Bight > - Gippsland and Wilsons Promontory TSS > - Gippsland ATBA > - Cape Otway sees the convergence of 5 traffic routes: > - West, east traffic to South Australian ports > - West, east traffic to Victorian ports > - West, east traffic to Tasmanian ports > - West, east traffic to New Zealand > - North, south traffic from Victoria to Tasmania and New Zealand Source: > **[Offshore oil and gas exploration](https://www.amsa.gov.au/safety-navigation/navigating-coastal-waters/offshore-oil-and-gas-exploration)** > > Our role in working with the offshore industry. ---
**Author:** ![Hogsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@Hogsnort](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hogsnort)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/4 "2023-12-03T17:47:28Z")
There is a possibility that the new government will reopen the door to oil and gas exploration and drilling. I don’t know who is going to be around to do it , the young have up sticks and moved to Aussie and the rest retired. ---
**Author:** ![Ladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a9a28c/32.png) [@Ladder](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Ladder)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/5 "2023-12-03T22:32:12Z")
The Royal New Zealand Navy has an annual budget of NZ$714 million. It would be pocket change to incorporate a powerful AHTS into that naval budget. Would be a worthwhile investment as an insurance policy against environmental disaster. The Icelandic government recently did exactly that. They bought two powerful AHTS and incorporated them into their coastguard. > **[The Coast Guards gets delivery of Freyja - ICELANDIC AND OTHER SHIPS](https://iceship.is/2021/11/02/the-coast-guards-gets-delivery-of-freyja/)** > > 20211102 – Today the new coast guard vessel to the Icelandic Coast Guard (ICC) left Rotterdam bound for her new home port of Siglufjordur, Iceland. In early 2021 the Ministry of Justice and ICC anonunced that decission had been made to purchase... ---
**Author:** ![Ausmariner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Ausmariner](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Ausmariner)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 1:44am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/6 "2023-12-04T01:44:10Z")
The Australian coastline emergency towage response is divided into 11 regions with primary response being supplied by the separate and adjacent major port towage providers. This is managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the contracted response is funded via the Protection of the Sea charge levied on visiting vessels. The majority of traffic transiting NZ waters moves up and down the east coast. One response tug could be stationed at Napier and one at Lyttelton with a similar levy placed on visiting vessels by Maritime New Zealand. If there was to be an issue on the west coast they could get there via Cook Strait. Surely NZ can arrange this. ---
**Author:** ![Hogsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@Hogsnort](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hogsnort)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/7 "2023-12-04T17:25:27Z")
We are still getting over a government that couldn’t run a bath. The new government have had their feet under the table for a week. Hopefully something can be sorted. ---
**Author:** ![Ausmariner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Ausmariner](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Ausmariner)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/8 "2023-12-04T18:52:41Z")
> [@Hogsnort](#): > > Hopefully something can be sorted. Michael, The Kiwis have always been a progressive and innovative country and I have no doubt that you will get it sorted. Sadly, at some juncture we are all burdened and hamstrung by lightweight bureaucrats and their political masters…… It may take a big casualty on a lee shore to spill some black stuff in order to get some political movement but at the end of the day the funding is not the responsibility of the NZ taxpayer but that of the end user……the shipowner. Good luck with it. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/rescue-tug-too-expensive-for-nz/67699/9 "2023-12-12T20:46:09Z")
New Rescue vessel for Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef is coming: [https://media.amsa.gov.au/media-release/future-emergency-response-vessel-secured-torres-strait-and-great-barrier-reef](https://media.amsa.gov.au/media-release/future-emergency-response-vessel-secured-torres-strait-and-great-barrier-reef) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/8/c/8c4a58435733ecf77c0bb950305de68ca325fc56.jpeg) No building yard mentioned yet.