Category: Red Sea

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Maritime Union opposes Red Sea military involvement 

Source: Maritime Union of New Zealand

The Maritime Union is opposing the decision by the coalition Government to send a detachment of New Zealand military to the Red Sea, after a request from the United States of America.

Shipping in the Red Sea has recently been disrupted by Yemen based Houthi forces carrying out attacks in support of Palestine.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says if the New Zealand Government is concerned about shipping security, there are better places to start.

“The Government just cancelled replacement ferries for the Cook Strait, which is a major threat to New Zealand transport links, so they should try dealing with problems a bit closer to home.”

He says if the Government is serious about protecting New Zealand trade it must rebuild New Zealand shipping to provide resilience and redundancy in the supply chain.

Mr Harrison says the Red Sea maritime conflict had one solution, which was an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and negotiation of a political solution for Palestine.

He says the military involvement by the United States and a small group of Western countries in the Red Sea area could result in more violence and instability.

“Rather than trying to ramp up a war, New Zealand should spend its energies working for peace by defusing the conflict and ending the mass death of civilians especially with the terrible situation in Gaza.”

“As a union representing seafarers we are extremely concerned about the danger all seafarers are facing in the Red Sea, and in the meantime the only option is for shipping to avoid the area.”

The Maritime Union said the response of the Labour Party and Green Party opposing involvement was the correct one.

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Red Sea situation highlights need for New Zealand shipping

Source: Maritime Union of New Zealand

The Maritime Union says the conflict in the Red Sea highlights the need to build up New Zealand crewed and flagged shipping to overcome supply chain disruptions.

Yemen-based Houthi rebels have been attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea as the Gaza conflict threatens to spill into a wider regional conflict in the Middle East.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says New Zealand needs to build its shipping capability to provide a buffer for our transport links.

He says the previous several years saw serious shipping disruption due to the pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and natural disasters such as the flooding in New Zealand regions in 2023.

Mr Harrison says global shipping lines are now changing schedules to avoid the Suez Canal and Red Sea region, creating serious delays and cost hikes.

“New Zealand needs to protect our domestic supply chain through boosting coastal shipping capability with New Zealand flagged ships and New Zealand crews.”

Mr Harrison says New Zealand exporters could work together to charter vessels for international and regional trade with Government support. 

Under the previous Government, funding for coastal shipping had resulted in a modest rise in New Zealand flagged vessels, and it was important to keep up the momentum, he says. 

Mr Harrison says New Zealand should be strongly pressing for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, which was the underlying political issue behind the Red Sea situation.

The recent Red Sea attacks by the Houthis have been aimed at Israel-linked ships in an effort to stop the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

The Maritime Union is supporting a call from the International Transport Workers’ Federation to ensure the safety of seafarers, which requires the rerouting of vessels away from the danger zone.