coastal shipping – Page 11 – Maritime Union of New Zealand

Truck plan means more blood on roads

July 21, 2009

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has slammed Government proposals to allow larger and heavier trucks on New Zealand roads as irresponsible and short-sighted.

The Union says New Zealand needs to promote low-impact, environmentally efficient modes such as coastal shipping and rail to handle the growth in freight, not bigger trucks.

Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Trevor Hanson says proposed changes to land transport rules would see larger, heavier trucks dominating New Zealand roads for years to come.

“Roads will become more dangerous and more crowded leading to more and worse accidents – more blood on the road.”

Maritime Union welcomes growing political support for coastal shipping

February 14, 2007

The Maritime Union has welcomed Green MP Sue Bradford’s strong support of Coastal Shipping in Parliament this week.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says he supports Ms Bradford’s view presented in her Statement to the Prime Minister that there needs to be some major Budget announcements to kick start the Coastal Shipping industry.

Shipping plan gets thumbs up

May 20, 2008

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says the release today of the final domestic shipping strategy “Sea Change” is a positive move for New Zealand shipping.

Maritime Union Vice President Garry Parsloe says the Government’s plans for coastal shipping are moving in the right direction.

He says $36 million of funding for developing coastal shipping over the next four years was a major boost.

Nat’s transport funding plan puts New Zealand into reverse gear

March 25, 2009

The Maritime Union says the Government’s transport funding plan is an environmental and economic travesty.

The National Government has changed spending commitments of the previous Government and and released a statement on money it will put into developing land transport (including sea transport) for the next ten years.

The new plan includes a three year commitment to spending over seven billion dollars on road related expenditure – and even includes $51 million for cycling and walkways.

In comparison, it puts forward $1 million for “rail and sea freight” and $3 million for “domestic sea freight development.” (Yes – the figure is million not billion.)

That’s about one cent on rail and sea freight development for every twenty dollars on roads.