Harbourmaster's Office
The Harbourmaster’s Office is responsible for managing all maritime-related activities that may affect the safety of navigation of vessels on Canterbury’s many waterways. We oversee all rivers and lakes in the region as well as coastal areas up to 12 nautical miles offshore.
Work includes the operation of cruise ships and commercial ships, plus a wide range of recreational boating activities – that’s everything from kayaking to jet boating, sailing to stand up paddleboarding. We also manage swing moorings.
Basically, if you operate any type of vessel on any waterway in the Canterbury region, we're here to make sure you do it safely.
Commercial shipping
We oversee all cargo vessels, cruise ships, fishing vessels, ferries and tourism operators throughout the region. Find forms, rules and bylaws here.
Recreational boating
See current boating notices, upcoming events and changes to local boating requirements. Read about life jacket safety and let us know about any bad behaviour you see on the waterways.
- Learn more at Maritime New Zealand
- Be aware of hazards before heading out on the water
- Report accidents or bad behaviour on the region's waterways