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Commercial vessels of six metres or less in length that are engaged solely in excursions, which do not proceed beyond enclosed waters (or more than five miles from a safe haven on the coast of New Zealand), are required to have a Safe Operational Plan (SOP) under Maritime Rule Part 40A.
A Safe Operational Plan (SOP) provides a practical set of safety requirements to ensure that certain specialised operations or craft have appropriate safety systems.
To get a Safe Operational Plan, contact your nearest diving vessel Authorised Person/Safety Auditor. They will inspect, audit and approve your operation of behalf of the Director of Maritime New Zealand.
Each operation must undergo an annual audit for their Safe Operational Plan Certificate of Compliance to remain valid.
Note that a vessel required to operate under a safe operational plan cannot then be under a safe ship management (SSM) system.
List of Authorised Persons/Safety Auditors [PDF: 90Kb, 4 pages]
Learn more about Safe Operational Plans
If you require any further information about safe operational plans, please contact Maritime New Zealand’s Nautical Adviser, SMS.
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