Abandoned and derelict boats in Tauranga Harbour are becoming increasingly costly with ratepayers often footing the bill for their disposal if they sink.
Bay of Plenty Harbourmaster Jon Jon Peters said the problem was escalating with the team recovering three sunken vessels in the last two months and another and a fourth underway currently.
“We’re seeing more and more boats left to deteriorate on their moorings,” he said.
“Each one of these vessels can cost anywhere up to $25,000 to remove if they sink, and when we can’t recover the costs from the owner, the community ultimately pays for this.”
Peters said some owners can’t afford the upkeep, have the skills or time to maintain their boats, or just lose interest or walk away.
“Unfortunately, if those boats sink, they may become hazards to navigation, create environmental risks and become costly to dispose of.”
Severe weather events in recent years have made it more likely that boats already in poor position would break free from moorings or sink during storms.
The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including growing threats to our security, a monster hurricane brewing, and has the robot takeover begun? (Source: 1News)
The Bay of Plenty Harbourmaster team managed 490 moorings across the region and annual inspections revealed around 40% of boats moored in Tauranga Harbour were showing signs of neglect.
Peters said neglected boats were more likely to become derelict.
“Once they reach that point, the costs and risks of sinking multiply.”
He urged boat owners to take responsibility before their vessels became a problem.
“Even a relatively small boat can cost thousands to recover. We do everything we can to reclaim costs from the owner, but in many cases, they’ve disappeared or simply can’t pay. That’s when the cost lands on ratepayers.”
The Harbourmaster team’s remit includes investigating and removing wrecks under the Maritime Transport Act 1994.
The Act gives the Harbourmaster authority to act quickly in the interest of safety and the environment, and the ability to recover costs from boat owners.
“The Harbourmaster team will be looking to trace the chain of ownership of the boat to recover costs,” Peters said.
“It’s a warning to derelict boat owners not to try and on-sell the problem.”
