Commercial shipping

The Harbourmaster is responsible for maintaining maritime safety across the Bay of Plenty’s harbours and coastal waters. This includes commercial operations such as cargo ships and cruise liners.

Hot works, oil transfers and spills 

Everything you need to know about notifying the Harbourmaster about hot works, complying with oil transfer regulations, and responding effectively to marine oil spills in the Bay of Plenty.

Harbourmaster directions 

Bay of Plenty Regional Council has adopted the New Zealand Port and Harbour Marine Safety Code and applies the principles described within the Code to marine operations on the region's waters.

Commercial shipping exclusion zones and anchorages

To help ensure safe navigation and protect sensitive marine areas, the Bay of Plenty Regional Harbourmaster has set guidelines for where commercial vessels can anchor – and where they can’t.

Bylaws, rules and compliance

Harbourmaster’s Directions, our Navigation Safety Bylaw and the Port and Harbour Navigational Safety Management system are used alongside Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) to govern the safety of navigation in our region.

Harbour conditions, shipping and cruise ship schedule

Whether you're planning a voyage, monitoring conditions, or just curious about what's happening in the harbour, here are the key tools and updates to keep you informed.

Unseaworthy, abandoned vessels and wrecks

Abandoned boats pose hazards to navigation, damage to the environment and create unsightly clutter and removing abandoned or unseaworthy boats and wrecks can be expensive for the owner.

More information

Port of Tauranga shipping schedules

Bylaws