12 November 2013

Camera adds to Boating Safety at Napier Port

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Harbourmaster now has an additional resource in the campaign to keep Napier Port approaches safe for both small boats and large commercial traffic.

Harbourmaster Phil Norman says the pilot launch ‘Pania’ is now equipped with a video camera that will be used to provide evidence in any incident that occurs in the Napier Pilotage Area.

“While behaviour within the Port approaches is generally good, there are still large numbers of boaties whom either choose to ignore or are ignorant of the rules, and the camera will help provide evidence of dangerous behaviour in this high traffic zone,” says Harbourmaster Phil Norman.

Hawke’s Bay’s Navigation Safety Bylaws require that all smaller vessels give way and stay clear of any ship of 500 gross tonnage or greater within the Napier Pilotage Area, a designated area mapped within the Bylaws. The prohibited zone moves with the ship and measures 100 metres astern and to each side of a large ship and, at that width, to 500 metres ahead of the moving vessel. The bylaw states that any vessel under 500 gross tonnage, which includes recreational vessels such as jetskiis and kayaks, must not enter this zone.

Captain Norman says the pilots have seen some nasty close calls with boats cutting in front of shipping or simply not getting out of the way.

As evidenced by a recent prosecution, penalties can be extremely high for offenders. The use of the video camera, with GPS location ability, will enable prosecutions to be undertaken with an added degree of certainty.

The Harbourmaster encourages everyone with a boat to get a copy of the bylaws either from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s website or from reception at HBRC offices in Dalton Street, Napier.

ENDS

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