Much has been happening in New Zealand regarding yachts and the closed border. The NZ Marina Operators Association, Sail South Pacific and the Ocean Cruising Club are working hard to gain entry for yachts prior to the start of cyclone season in the South Pacific. Here they provide an update on progress.

Published 4 years ago

NEW ZEALAND UPDATE

Information provided by Guy Chester (Ocean Cruising Club), John Martin (Sail South Pacific), Chris Galbraith (NZ Marina Operators Association)

Much has been happening in New Zealand regarding yachts and the closed border. The potential process is case by case and requires an exemption application, supported by a self-isolation plan for up to 14 days quarantine aboard on arrival.

An exemption process has been announced, led by NZ Marine and focuses on the exemption criteria of delivering a yacht to a New Zealand business for re-provisioning, re-fuelling, repair or refit, there is a suggested threshold for applicants of $50,000 expenditure. Applicants with lower expenditure may be considered. This pathway is somewhat complex and an agent is likely to be required. Sail South Pacific is currently running a pilot with a few yachts on various expenditure amounts.

There is another criteria for an exemption to the border closure for: “humanitarian reasons or other compelling needs”. Whilst applications have been able to be made directly on this criteria, NZ Health are developing a form with guidance for maritime exemption based on humanitarian and other compelling reasons. We have been advised that this will be available within a week or so. The Ocean Cruising Club has advocated that for yachts in COVID limbo throughout the south Pacific the need for refuge from the forthcoming cyclone season is a humanitarian reason or other compelling need. There is no guarantee of this being accepted.

There has been much work at ports of entry to manage quarantine aboard arrangements for yachts arriving, this work is ongoing. The OCC is hoping to collaborate with the marinas and agencies to be able to provide a protocol for yachts to adopt for their self-isolation plan. This is very much a work in progress and dependent upon stakeholders and agencies. Marinas in the Bay of Islands and Whangarei, and Sail South Pacific (Destination NZ Rally) have been working away in the background and the OCC hopes announcements of positive solutions for yachts subject to quarantine aboard and associated pre-departure, on passage and during quarantine protocols can be finalised soon.

Note that an exemption from the border closure (granted by NZ health) is not a Visa, crews will still need to meet visa requirements. Further, the normal biosecurity and border pre-arrival notification processes will apply.

Whilst we await the finalisation of the form/process for an application for an exemption on humanitarian or other compelling grounds, yachts’ crews can review a summary of the “normal” New Zealand formalities on Noonsite (https://noonsite.wccstaging.com/place/new-zealand/formalities/). The OCC suggests crew hoping to seek refuge in New Zealand review the various links to the official webpages of NZ agencies provided by Noonsite. The Destination NZ Rally (Sail South Pacific) is gearing up to provide support for these formalities and special quarantine arrangements.

In summary the OCC suggests researching NZ border control system now but await a further update re the maritime exemption on humanitarian and compelling grounds.

It isn’t “Kia Ora” (Welcome) just yet, but there is a possible pathway emerging for yachts to gain an exemption and practical solutions for quarantine aboard.

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Related Content:

• New Zealand: Border Exemption for Foreign-Flagged Vessels with Maintenance and Refit Booked (15 June, 2020)
• NZ and Australia for Cyclone Season: OCC Working on Solutions (28 April, 2020)
• New Zealand Biosecurity Information

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.