Rising tide of hazards in Tory Channel

The day after the Maritime Safety Authority slammed safety procedures aboard the Cook Strait ferry Aratere, a new report says steps must be taken to stamp out an increasing array of potential hazards in the Marlborough Sounds.

The report's author, director of Marico Marine NZ John Riding, told Marlborough District Council this week that some hazards listed in the report were approaching eight on a danger scale of one to 10.

"The risk of a grounding or collision at Tory Channel is not reducing and it should be," Mr Riding said.

"A ferry striking a smaller craft is a credible outcome.

"Too many [incidents] ranked at the top end are recurring on an annual basis and the potential for loss of life exists."

The report said the risk of vessels colliding could be virtually wiped out if Automatic Information Systems (AIS) tracking, which used automatic transponders, was introduced.

Mr Riding said AIS was used heavily in Europe and had led to changes in ship captains' behaviour.

"They know they are being watched and behaviour does change."

Picton Harbour Master Alex van Wijngaarden said technology such as AIS would have allowed the Aratere's wanderings in a near-grounding incident on September 29 to be noticed immediately.

Transponders would first be available to ships over 300 gross metric tonnes, said Mr Riding.

The next step would be to install a small radar at the entrance to Tory Channel to pick up smaller craft.

The report identified 84 hazards to shipping in the Sounds.

Top of the report's list of potential hazards was a ferry grounding at the Tory Channel entrance, which could cost many lives.

The second-ranked hazard was a collision between a ferry and a fishing boat in the channel, which the report said may cause up to five fatalities.

Mr van Wijngaarden said the council wanted an idea of the cost of putting the recommendations in place.

- NZPA