industry Insights

Vessel sale and purchase agreements can be highly complicated. An often overlooked part of the process is around anti money laundering (AML) requirements, which presents an area of not-insignificant risk for clients and agents alike.

The Tourist Refund Scheme offers international travellers leaving Australia to claim a GST refund on Australian purchase goods taken out of the country, and it is possible for private yacht owners to access the programme to take advantage of the GST refund.

New Zealand Customs’ recent change of position on the sale of vessels in New Zealand under TIE (Temporary Import Entry) could have potentially significant impacts for yacht owners wanting to bring their vessels into New Zealand, including for marketing and sale purposes.

The recent MLAANZ conference in Auckland had a range of speakers with notable subjects that provided an exciting opportunity to deepen understanding of developments in maritime law.

We are pleased to welcome Petrina Sheldon, the newest member of the Dawson & Associates team. Petrina is a recent law graduate and joins us as a Legal Assistant, but she is by no means new to the maritime industry. Read more

Building a bespoke vessel is a complex process. Peter Dawson revisits an article he wrote (which was published in Pro Skipper magazine in 2019) and adds fresh insights.

World leading innovation and a record number of boats were on full display at the Auckland Boat Show last week, painting a positive picture for boating and yachting in the South Pacific.

Safety assessments are essential for New Zealand recreational yachts going overseas. With the administration of this process changing in 2024, yacht owners need to be aware of the changes under the new system.

It’s been another very busy year for Dawson & Associates, and we are looking forward to putting our feet up for a while before starting back into 2025 with some exciting work.

Take safety seriously, collaborate and ‘leave competition at the door’ is the message for the seafood sector.

In most circumstances, the owner of a vessel that is imported into New Zealand will have to pay duty and GST when the vessel arrives in New Zealand. However, vessels manufactured in countries which have entered into a free trade agreement with New Zealand will not attract duty.

Dawson and Associates attended the 2024 Seafood New Zealand conference last week in Auckland where Peter Dawson was announced as a finalist in the Seafood Stars Awards as a Life Member.

Yacht purchasing, whether for personal or commercial use, is a surprisingly complicated process and can come as something of a shock to buyers who have never gone through the process before.

Dawson & Associates are pleased to have concluded a successful superyacht closing for the vessel Aquabella.

We understand the excitement associated with purchasing a new vessel,  but taking a few moments to obtain advice as to how to structure the transaction can save you headaches down the line.

Dawson & Associates have recently been heavily involved in the successful sales of two superyachts - the M/Y Adytum and M/Y MiMi., both complex closings through collaborative efforts of an international team in numerous jurisdictions,

Congratulations to Peter Dawson for coming 2nd in his age category in the Queen and King of the Bay Surfski Race on the weekend.

Maritime New Zealand have indicated that a full operational watch by sight and sound will no longer be required for vessels at anchor, a reversal of their earlier position on watchkeeping.

We wish you a happy and festive Christmas and New Year.

The NZ Marine 2023 survey results show that the marine industry is now worth $3 billion annually to the New Zealand economy.

The final extension for export of yachts granted permission to remain in New Zealand under the Temporary Import Entry (TIE) scheme during 2020’s COVID-19 restrictions expires today, 30 June 2023.

Fishers, fishing officials, and adjacent industries gathered at the recent New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen conference to hear and present on issues, challenges, and opportunities facing fishing, including watchkeeping compliance, and the rollout of cameras.

Peter Dawson spoke with Ingird Hipkiss on the Shiling’s stay in Wellington Harbour, which could possibly become “long and disruptive”.  Listen to the report on the RNZ website.

The government has announced a select committee inquiry into seabed mining and there is likely to be a public submission process to inform their findings.

A trend seems to be emerging of increasing officer prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 being prosecuted by WorkSafe New Zealand. This development sees charges being placed on individuals as well as, or instead of, the companies themselves.

Dawson & Associates have recently concluded the sale of the purse seiner FV Capt M.J. Souza,, being involved from the outset and handling the process at every step.

Maritime New Zealand’s requirements for candidates to qualify for tickets across a range of vessel sizes and zones are somewhat complicated for individuals with overseas tickets.

Congratulations to Peter Dawson on an outstanding performance in his first ever Coast to Coast adventure race. 

Who gets an asset (with numerous claimants), when a company goes into liquidation? It can come down to who has first priority under the Personal Property Security Register (PPSR).

Dawson & Associates have been recognised as a Strategic Partner of the YWAM Koha, a 48m vessel that serves as a medical outreach ship in the Pacific helping remote island communities.