The Marlborough District Council’s Harbourmaster has a statutory responsibility to maintain maritime safety across the extensive Marlborough Sounds, which accounts for 20% of New Zealand’s coastline. Previously, the Harbourmaster’s office relied on manual processes, recording incidents on paper and via VHF radio before transferring them to spreadsheets. This approach was time-consuming and prone to data loss, limiting the ability to manage incidents effectively. To overcome these challenges, Marlborough District Council partnered with Ackama to create ‘Safe Harbours,’ a technological system designed to streamline incident management processes, improve data accuracy, and increase operational efficiency.

The core of the Safe Harbours system is an incident management module that enables the Harbourmaster to log all reported incidents, accidents, and near-misses digitally. This function is crucial for maintaining a real-time risk profile of the harbour, providing insights into where incidents are occurring and allowing swift responses. The system supports MDC’s regulatory responsibilities by automating statutory reporting and creating accurate, accessible records. The Harbourmaster’s office can now efficiently document incidents and share data with relevant agencies for investigative or regulatory actions, contributing to a safer maritime environment.

Safe Harbours incorporates several critical features tailored to the Harbourmaster’s operational needs:

• Incident Management and Reporting: Users can record and categorise incidents both in-office and in the field, allowing real time access to incident data. The system’s mobile compatibility allows skippers and crew to report directly from boats, reducing response times and improving data reliability.
• Planning, scheduling and assignment of operational and business-as-usual activities: Safe Harbours has transformed how the harbourmaster team plans day-to-day activities, including audits, inspections, maintenance, and patrols. 
• Asset Management for Aids to Navigation (AtoNs): The Harbourmaster can proactively manage navigational aids, scheduling maintenance, logging defects, and tracking repairs to make sure assets remain operational. Automated reporting on AtoN maintenance supports compliance and minimises risks.

• GIS Integration and Data Mapping: Integrated with the Council’s GIS system, Safe Harbours provides a visual representation of incidents and assets on an interactive map, offering quick insights into the location and frequency of incidents. This visual data supports strategic planning and situational awareness.
• Field App and Offline Capabilities: Recognising connectivity challenges in the remote waters of Marlborough Sounds, the Safe Harbours application for the tablet offers offline capabilities, allowing skippers to continue logging incidents and accessing data even when out of network range.
• Business Intelligence and Real-Time Alerts: Safe Harbours connects to MDC’s Business Intelligence tools, offering dashboard views and data visualisations for risk management. The system supports integration with external data, such as weather or vessel monitoring, to notify the Harbourmaster of emerging risks.

The introduction of Safe Harbours has transformed how the Harbourmaster’s office operates, shifting from manual, paper-based record keeping to a fully digital, centralised incident management system. This change has drastically reduced administrative burden, improved data accuracy, and enabled quicker responses to incidents on the water. The GIS integration allows for better spatial analysis of incidents, aiding in strategic decision-making, while the asset management module makes sure that essential navigational aids are proactively maintained. Additionally, the system’s flexibility allows for ongoing updates and improvements, creating interest from other harbours and councils looking to adopt similar technology advancements.

The transition to digital presented some cultural challenges, as staff adapted to new workflows and routines. Encouraging the regular use of the system and allowing data completeness to remain a focus. Planned future platform upgrades include improved user interfaces for boat crews, expanded dashboard capabilities, and further integration with national maritime data systems.