I, Bruce John Maroc, Deputy Director of Monitoring and Compliance, Maritime New Zealand, being satisfied that the granting of this exemption will not breach New Zealand’s international obligations, and pursuant to sections 47(2)(b)(ii), 47(2)(b)(iv) and 47(2)(c) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, acting under delegated authority, hereby give notice as follows:
The Owner and Master of M/V Aratere, IMO No. 9174828, is exempt from the requirement in Rule 40B.20 of Part 40B of the Maritime Rules in relation to Regulation 21.1 of Chapter III of SOLAS 1974, its protocols of 1978 and 1988 and all amendments in effect, which requires the carriage and availability of at least one lifeboat per side of a ship, subject to the following conditions:
1. Actions must be taken to ensure the M/V Aratere complies with Maritime Rules 40B.20 at the owners earliest convenience and not later than 10 May 2007;
2. all crew are to be made aware and familiar with the changes in the emergency plan, prior to any voyage;
3. the emergency plan is to be amended to reflect the changes in Life Saving Appliances (LSA);
4. an additional 5 x 25 person throw over liferafts to be carried on board (4 port and 1 starboard), stowed and secured for float free operation with hydrostatic release arrangements;
5. all other LSA must be fully operational and available at all times during the period of this exemption;
6. in the course of the voyage or voyages the ship must not proceed more than 20 nautical miles from the nearest land; and
7. maximum passenger number on board of 355.
The exemption from the provisions of Maritime Rule 40B.20 shall remain in force until:
(a) one or more of the above conditions is not met;
(b) the ship undergoes major alteration or its operating limits are permanently changed;
(c) the ownership of the ship is changed;
(d) the exemption is revoked by the Director of Maritime New Zealand; or
(e) the expiry date;
whichever occurs first.
This exemption shall expire at 09:00* on 10 May 2007.
BRUCE JOHN MAROC, Deputy Director of Monitoring and Compliance, Maritime New Zealand.
*Local time, 24-hour clock.