2024 Wrap up
It’s been another very busy year for Dawson & Associates, and we are looking forward to putting our feet up for a while before starting back into 2025 with some exciting work.
We have been involved in some high-profile matters, including representing the bridge officers of the Interislander ferry Aratere, assisting with the initial salvage work of the RNZN vessel Manawanui, and the barge Manahau. Beyond this our bread-and-butter work of vessel sale & purchase and registration has grown significantly, with clients from around the world engaging us to assist with a wide range of matters; a conservative estimate of the value of yachts we have assisted this year totalling in the hundreds of millions of dollars. With a large number of satisfied yacht owners we are looking forward to growing the business and leveraging our expertise to assist in a wider range of matters. If you are looking to buy or sell a yacht into 2025, or have questions about registration and ownership structuring, we encourage you to contact us.
In terms of trends, we are seeing increasing attention being paid by Maritime New Zealand to vessel emission standards under MR 199; something to consider if you are looking to import an older vessel into New Zealand. Our expertise in navigating these requirements has been crucial in delivering satisfactory results for clients, and we are able to help if you have concerns about your vessel’s compliance.
This month saw the prosecution of the Ports of Auckland CEO under s 48 of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) resulting out of a workplace fatality in 2020. This decision has wide-ranging implications for officers of businesses in New Zealand, with scope having been opened up for investigation and prosecution of executive level staff. Dawson & Associates is highly experienced in HSWA investigations and prosecutions, as well as safety management system audits of companies before an incident occurs, making us a leading expert in the maritime context for all matters involving HSWA. If you are concerned about your company’s safety management system or your exposure to risk as an executive level officer in your business we encourage you to consider assessing how integrated your systems are so that immediate crisis management and response can be effective and put you and your business in the best possible position during an investigation.
Our voluntary work with mercy ships this year has been significant as well, assisting with the legal support of hospital ships throughout the South Pacific region delivering medical and social support to in-need communities, including in some highly remote areas. Peter was able to see some of this firsthand during a trip to Papua New Guinea earlier this year; something that reinforces our commitment to dedicating a portion of our work to supporting these incredibly valuable providers.
With Christmas just around the corner we are looking forward to the challenges and projects that 2025 will bring, be it assisting vessel owners, New Zealand’s commercial fishing industry, helping people in crisis following a workplace health and safety event, or any of the myriad other maritime matters we engage with. If you have any questions about any maritime legal matter, please contact Peter Dawson on +64 27 229 9624 or peter@maritimelaw.co.nz , or Troy Stade on +64 27 368 6730 or troy@maritimelaw.co.nz.
Peter and the rest of the team at Dawson & Associates wish you and your families all a very merry Christmas, a happy new year, and a safe holiday period.