Emergency diesel storage at Marsden Point will be ineffective without New Zealand vessels to distribute it, unions say, following the Government’s decision to expand fuel reserves.
The Government has announced support for Channel Infrastructure to recommission storage tanks at Marsden Point, adding 90 million litres of diesel — about eight extra days of supply.
The New Zealand Merchant Service Guild, Maritime Union of New Zealand and Aviation and Marine Engineers Association say the move strengthens fuel resilience but is “useless” without addressing how fuel will be distributed.
New Zealand Merchant Service Guild vice president Iain MacLeod says storage alone is not enough.
“Having fuel in a tank at Marsden Point does nothing for a farmer in the South Island or an emergency services vehicle in a regional centre if we cannot move it where it is needed,” MacLeod says.
“Apart from the pipeline to Auckland and road distribution in the upper North Island, coastal shipping is the key domestic option for moving large fuel volumes between New Zealand ports.”
The unions warn that relying on international shipping during global disruption is a high-risk strategy.
Maritime Union of New Zealand national secretary Carl Findlay says the current situation exposes the country to further risk.
“At a time when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is severely disrupted and global supply chains are under pressure, exposing New Zealand to further risk is a bad decision,” Findlay says.
“We must rebuild a New Zealand maritime capability with vessels and crews that have a direct stake in our national resilience and security.”
The unions say New Zealand became more vulnerable to fuel supply shocks after the Marsden Point refinery closed on April 1, 2022, and the loss of New Zealand-flagged coastal tankers such as MT Matuku and MT Kokako.
“Our seafarers and engineers have an exemplary record of safety and reliability over decades of service,” Findlay says.
“Dedicated New Zealand coastal tankers would provide both transport capacity and, when needed, mobile storage to help deliver fuel during local emergencies or international disruption.”
The unions are calling for the Government to fund a New Zealand-flagged and crewed tanker fleet, strengthen Section 198 of the Maritime Transport Act to prioritise local vessels, and prioritise national fuel security over commercial models.
“The Government has found the money for storage. It must now find the will to rebuild the national maritime capability needed to move that fuel,” Findlay says.
