Insurers collaborate for wreck repair

Insurance Council of New Zealand Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ) members are working with the harbour master and marina management to co-ordinate the safe recovery of wrecks, pollution management and health and safety matters for the recovery effort following the damage at Tutukaka marina.

“While the focus for most is rightly on the direct impacts of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai eruptions across Tonga and neighbouring Pacific Islands, closer to home, insurers have a responsibility to get on with the job of arranging the safe clearance of wrecks from Tutukaka marina, pollution control, securing vessels and assisting in getting the marina fully functioning again,” said ICNZ chief executive, Tim Grafton.

Boat owners should continue to deal directly with their insurers so that their claims are registered and assessed. The insurance sector’s coordinator will work closely with the Northland Regional Council Harbour Master and marina management to plan the safe recovery of vessels and infrastructure and to promote careful pollution prevention measures and the application of health and safety standards by all those involved in recovery efforts.

Work is already underway with some wrecks raised; around four are still to be recovered. Several other vessels are damaged, but remain afloat, and some piers and mooring fingers were insecure. In some cases, specialist equipment, such as heavy lifting systems and barges, may have to be brought in. While a lot of minor work can be done quickly, it will be some time before it is known how long it will take to complete all recovery efforts and their cost, but this is likely to run into the millions of dollars.

“Marine losses in Aotearoa New Zealand are expected to be just a footnote to the full social, physical and economic impacts felt by our Pacific neighbours as a result of the eruption. While we’re getting on with the job in hand at Tutukaka marina, are thoughts are with our Pacific neighbours,” said Grafton.