Maritime Transport Amendment Bill passes third reading

The Maritime Transport Amendment Bill passed its third reading by Parliament on Tuesday.

The legislation will support maritime safety, tackle pollution, and will ensure that adequate compensation is available in the event of an oil spill from a tanker, to deal with any clean up. The Bill increases the potential compensation available for oil spills from around $411 million to just over $1.540 billion.

Changes to the Bill to reflect feedback heard during the select committee process, including the removal of proposed amendments that would have allowed foreign-flagged vessels to start carrying cargo to the Chatham Islands; and a requirement in the Bill for all maritime operators to undertake mandatory drug and alcohol testing.

The Bill also includes technical amendments that will increase the flexibility of rule-making.

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