Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says the protest was in response to the giant global shipping company Maersk cancelling the Coastal Connect container service which linked New Zealand ports.

Two New Zealand crewed ships Maersk Nadi and Maersk Nansha had been in service for less than a year on this run, he says.

Mr Harrison says the Maersk decision resulted the loss of up to sixty jobs of crew members, and more disruption of New Zealand supply chains. The cancelled service called into Port Nelson.

Mr Harrison says New Zealand has an ongoing supply chain crisis.

“That is why goods are taking so long to be imported and exported and moved around New Zealand.”

He says the “blue highway” of coastal shipping is an efficient and low emissions mode of keeping New Zealand moving.

Mr Harrison says coastal shipping provides resilience in a volatile world and even in the face of natural disasters.

“This decision by Maersk shows that we need to take our coastal shipping capability more seriously.”

He says the Maritime Union is proposing several measures:
 

• Changes to the Maritime Transport Act to prioritize New Zealand flagged and crewed ships on the New Zealand coast.
• Government support for a New Zealand owned coastal shipping operator to provide priority service for New Zealand ports and industry.
• Training and high quality employment opportunities for New Zealanders in our own maritime industry.

Protest details: Seafarers and community supporters will gather for a peaceful informational picket across the road from Haven Road dairy by Port Nelson (213 Haven Road, Beachville, Nelson, 7010) from 10.30am Sunday 2 April 2023

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