Playing a key role in managing cruise ship activity

Our Harbourmaster’s Office plays a key role in managing cruise ship activity across Waitaha/Canterbury.  

There are four places in Canterbury that get visits from cruise ship ships during the summer months – they are Kaikōura, Lyttelton, Akaroa and Timaru. 

Our team in the Harbourmaster’s Office are responsible for several functions including:  

• granting permissions to enter the Kaikōura and Akaroa anchorage sites
• enforcing speed and wake requirements
• maintaining communications with the ship as necessary.  

We also work closely alongside other agencies to ensure cruise ship operations are completed in a safe and coordinated manner.  

“This season, we have reduced the number of designated anchorages down to three in Akaroa harbour due to concerns about the environment and seabed,” said Guy Harris, Harbourmaster.  

“We have also further limited the maximum size of a cruise ships that may enter Akaroa without requiring a resource consent.”  

Working together to reduce cruise ship impact  

In partnership with the Department of Conservation, Christchurch City Council, and ChristchurchNZ, we continue to closely monitor cruise ship activity in Akaroa. 

Cruise ship visits in Akaroa have been a matter of community interest and discussion in recent years, with concerns raised over the number of ships visiting, potential damage to the seabed and safety.  

The reduction in cruise ship visits to Akaroa is consistent with the intent of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment 2021 report, which focuses on reducing the environmental footprint of the tourism industry.   

Limiting ship length and thruster use 

Information from a risk assessment in 2019 led us to limit thruster use by ships at anchor, to reduce the potential for seabed disturbance. A survey of the Akaroa Harbour in 2021 led us to close some anchorages and limit the size of ships coming into the Harbour from 260 lengths between perpendiculars (LBP) to 200m LBP. For a larger ship to enter it would need to get resource consent first. 

“A repeat survey of the open and closed anchorages in Akaroa was undertaken by Southern Hydrographic in 2023 with an additional survey planned for 2025.  

“This will help us determine the rate of physical recovery of the closed anchorages and inform future operational decisions,” said Guy. 
A total of 17 cruise ships are scheduled to visit Akaroa this season.  

Construction of a new Akaroa Wharf 

Christchurch City Council will soon begin work to rebuild the Akaroa Wharf. Construction is expected to get underway in late 2025 and be completed in 2027.  

Drummonds Jetty is currently being extended in preparation as a temporary replacement while the main wharf is constructed. The Harbourmaster’s Office team will be installing some channel marker buoys for vessels approaching Drummonds Jetty and have been working with Christchurch City Council on shifting some swing moorings to ensure there is a clear channel.