The ‘transhipment’ of a hazardous substance means that the material will be exported out of New Zealand within 20 working days of importing it. This includes goods:

• that remain on board the vessel (ships or aircraft) while in transit
• offloaded onto offshore barges or platforms, and
• put into storage on land.

If the substance is an explosive (class 1 classification), you may also need a permit from WorkSafe NZ.

When a shipment is not considered a transhipment

If the hazardous substance will be in New Zealand for more than 20 working days, it is considered an import and different rules apply. If you import the goods and process them in any way before they leave New Zealand (including repackaging), you will need approval to import them, rather than to tranship them.

For more information about importing hazardous substances into New Zealand

Do you need a transhipment approval?

Making an application

1. Allow plenty of time – we encourage all applicants to contact us at least one month before the intended shipment to discuss the transhipment arrangements.
2. Based on the information provided, we will advise whether a transhipment approval is required from us. Applicants should also check with WorkSafe New Zealand to establish whether a WorkSafe transhipment permit is required. 
3. Ensure the shipper contacts the New Zealand port(s) on the planned route to find out their off-loading, transport and storage requirements. If explosives are being transported, check for any limits on the amount and type of explosives the ports can handle.
   
   For more information about the explosive-handling capacity of specific New Zealand ports
   
   
4. Complete a transhipment approval application. Applications need to include information about the hazard substance/s, the intended transhipment arrangement and stowage plans. Application fees needs to be paid at the time of application.
   
   Applications can be emailed to HSapplications@epa.govt.nz
   
   Application form for approval for transhipment of a hazardous substance (DOCX, 137KB)
   
   
5. Allow a minimum of 10 working days  - we may request further information, which may extend this timeframe.
   
   See the Fees, charges and cost recovery page for the current fee
   
   
6. We will provide the outcome of the application by email. If approved, all conditions of the approval will be provided along with the approval.

If your plans change, you must let us know as soon as possible. We cannot change the conditions of a transhipment approval after is it issued.

Handling of confidential information

Once an application is submitted to us, all the information supplied in it falls under the New Zealand Official Information Act (OIA) 1982, which covers government transparency and the release of official information. This means that if a request is made for the public release of an application, we may release it, unless it can be shown to be commercially sensitive.

Any request for information about transhipment applications will be considered consistently with the legal requirements under the OIA and the current legislation for hazardous substances. If you wish to keep information confidential, you may be asked to justify this. Commercially-sensitive information may be added to the application form as an appendix and marked clearly as confidential.

You may also choose not to supply information. Document this in your application form, in the Appendix: ‘Request for information waiver under section 59 of the HSNO Act’.