Fees and charges for vessels arriving in New Zealand

Commercial vessel levy

From 1 April 2026, MPI will charge a levy of $962 per commercial vessel arrival in New Zealand. The levy covers system-level costs such as data analysis to develop and monitor risk profiles, risk screening, intervention monitoring programmes, surveillance around ports, and auditing among other costs.

The New Zealand Customs Service will also charge a levy of $3,717 for a total levy amount charged of $4,679.

More detail on this change, including exemptions from the levies, can be found at:

Commercial vessel levy from 1 April 2026 Change #6 [PDF, 956KB]

Direct inspection and biosecurity clearance costs

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will recover costs for inspection and biosecurity clearance of vessels that:

are not berthed at a wharf
arrive at a location that is not an approved place of first arrival
have severe hull fouling and treatment is needed
have animals remaining on board that need regular surveillance checks.

Specific types of costs

Inspectors’ time and travel expenses will be charged when dealing with vessels with suspected risks such as infestation by pests like certain beetle, moth species or termites.

Vessel operators may also need to pay fees to other agencies or pay providers for services such as waste disposal, fumigation, biofouling dive inspections (if severe risk suspected), and hold cleanliness inspection before loading grain or bulk inorganic fertiliser.

Interventions

The costs of delays and any other costs resulting from interventions associated with ballast water or biofouling requirements, pests or contaminants or other risks – found or suspected – are the responsibility of the owner and/or charterer.

Inspection of animals on board a vessel

Inspection of an animal that is on board a vessel and is not intended to be cleared will be charged at:

$155.50 an hour (excluding GST) for each general inspector involved ($178.83 including GST)
$216.84 an hour (excluding GST) for each veterinary inspector involved ($249.37 including GST).

Charges may include travel and waiting times, and extra for after-hours callouts.