South Port is putting recreational and commercial boat operators on notice: stay out of restricted areas at Bluff unless you have permission.
The port has issued a reminder that access within its operational area is restricted and controlled, and that vessels must not enter areas including the container terminal berths without prior authorisation. The message is blunt — unauthorised access creates significant safety risks, with commercial shipping movements, cargo handling, mobile plant and other port activity all happening at once in a working harbour.
The rules are straightforward. Keep at least 50 metres from restricted and designated operational berths, commercial vessels, and cargo operations. Follow navigation and exclusion zone requirements. Do what South Port personnel, pilots, and the Harbourmaster tell you. And make sure anyone on board knows the port's safety and induction requirements before the vessel enters the harbour area at all.
It's not a complicated ask — but apparently it needs saying. Bluff is a working port, not a sightseeing destination, and the consequences of getting it wrong go beyond a slap on the wrist. Commercial shipping operations and recreational water users do not mix well in close quarters.
Anyone with questions about berth access or operational restrictions — including whether they can enter a restricted area — can contact South Port Marine Services on 027 230 8607 or [email protected].