Dear Buller District Council,

On 15th Aug 2024 the BDC Posted on their Facebook site about the Manahau barge.
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'The Pilot training programme was approved by Maritime New Zealand, which then enabled BDC to train a Pilot, allowing the harbour team to offer pilotage services to port users.

The Pilot approval, along with the purchase of the harbour vessel Protector and the upgrade enabling it to operate as a pilot vessel all came together with the Manahau's successful entry into Westport Harbour on Tuesday.'
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The BDC also issues a media release, 31 March 2023.
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'The dredge and the port staff are working together with Maritime NZ to develop a pilot training programme that will enable a pilot certificate training and certification programme for Westport to be approved by Maritime NZ.

Mr Christieson says: “This will be another first and we think, all going well, in three to four months we have the training programme signed off by Maritime NZ. The aim is to qualify a pilot which will allow them to bring vessels over 100 tonnes into and out of the Westport Port.”

Chief financial officer Douglas Marshall says: “Having this skill available to ships coming into the Westport Port, is a key for the revitalisation of this key asset for the town.'
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Given the above and my belief that the BDC advertised for some Port Pilot positions, I have some questions.
Could BDC please answer the following:

1. . Did the BDC contract more Port Pilots, in addition to the three that we appear to have had already ?

2. . What is the situation with the two positions that seemed to have been advertised ?

3. . Who was the Pilot for that initial entry ?

4. . Who was the Pilot that was responsible when the vessel came back, after taking the load to Nelson ?

5. . Was there a Pilot available during the time the vessel was moored within Harbour limits, prior to the grounding ?

6. . What was the reimbursement provisions for the necessary staff, given the vessel delayed bar crossing ?

7. . Were any costs associated with the Port Pilot requirements passed on to WMS ?

7. . The Port would be required to have a Port Operating Plan, or similar named exposition.
Did this document contain the names of those holding the senior positions, including Port Manager, Harbour Master and Pilots ?

8. . Was that document correctly revised at the time and is it properly amended now ?

Yours faithfully,

Kevin Smith