Advice on the RMS Niagara Shipwreck

To: Penny Nelson, Director-General of Conservation 
Date: 16 May 2022

At the Authority’s April meeting, concerns of the Auckland Conservation Board regarding the RMS Niagara shipwreck were discussed. The Authority is similarly concerned about the impact that any potential oil spill will have on biodiversity and ecosystem function loss.

I am writing to you to propose that the Chief Executives Group may be an appropriate forum to raise this concern, as it affects a number of Ministerial profiles; the most affected being Ministry for the Environment, the Department, Maritime NZ, and the Ministry for Transport.

The vessel lies between Mokohinau Island and the Hen and Chicken Islands and is believed to have four times the oil that was spilt by the MV Rena that ran aground on Astrolabe Reef in 2011. A decade on from the Rena grounding and oil spill, we can reflect on lessons learnt and apply these to the impact of the Niagara shipwreck’s future spill.

The Rena response was declared complete in 2015 and ongoing monitoring is required to ensure no long-lasting effects to the marine ecosystem has occurred, although short-term impacts included the death of 2,000 seabirds, with over 20,000 affected. Government response efforts, including clean-up, cost $47 million, with over $27 million contributed by the ship’s owners. The salvage was carefully overseen by the Government but paid for by the ship’s owners at a cost of $700 million.¹

In November 2018, the Authority raised its concerns with Ministers of the time and received a response from the Associate Minister of Transport (attached). The letter notes serious and active consideration of the matter, including preparation of advice to Ministers regarding management of the wreck. In 2021, the multi-agency strategy: Revitalising the Gulf: Government action on the Sea Change Plan noted that fiscal constraints from Covid-19 have deferred progress on the recommended urgent assessment of the risk to seabird and shorebird populations.²

The Authority are concerned by the consistent deferral and de-prioritisation of this issue. It may be that, when the depth of the vessel and the technical issues of dealing with the alleged 1500T of heavy oil on board are considered, the costs are prohibitive to action; however, without an understanding of the risk of spill, amount of oil, and the scope of environmental impact, this decision is not founded. We must stop making decisions for immediate and short- term impact, and encourage decision making that benefits future generations and long-term resilience. This is an issue that should not be deferred for the next generation to feel the impacts of.

We are encouraged by the potential for cooperation across Government that the Chief Executive’s Group provides. I hope this context assists you in conversations with your fellow Chief Executives, in seeking collaboration and understanding of the scope and potential resolutions to this matter. If you should wish to discuss the matter further, myself and Wendy Nelson (Deputy Chair and Chair of the Marine Committee) will be happy to advise.

1. Maritime NZ: reflecting on ten years since the Rena grounding and oil spill response - Maritime NZ
2. June 2021. DOC, Fisheries NZ, MPI. Revitalising the Gulf: Government action on the Sea Change Plan. Pg 74