Cook Islands Maritime Transport Profile 2026
Outline
COOK ISLANDS
MARITIME TRANSPORT PROFILE
Supported by:
Maritime assets
Port area in 2025
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Ships built by country of building, annual
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Merchant fleet by country of beneficial ownership, annual
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Trade - Navigation total
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Water transport employment
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Activity
Container port throughput
Port call and performance statistics
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Trade mode share
Port Activity
Trade openness index
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Seafarer supply
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Top 10 Freight Transport Expenditure in USD (Import)
Source: UNCTAD & World Bank. (n.d.). TransportCosts. UN Trade & Development Data Hub - Trade-and-Transport Dataset, Annual, 2016 Onward. Retrieved May 1, 2025, from https://unctadstat.unctad.org/datacentre/dataviewer/US.TransportCosts
Top 10 Freight transport work in thousand ton-km (Import)
Source: UNCTAD & World Bank. (n.d.). TransportCosts. UN Trade & Development Data Hub - Trade-and-Transport Dataset, Annual, 2016 Onward. Retrieved May 1, 2025, from https://unctadstat.unctad.org/datacentre/dataviewer/US.TransportCosts
Top 10 Freight Transport Expenditure in USD (Export)
Source: UNCTAD & World Bank. (n.d.). TransportCosts. UN Trade & Development Data Hub - Trade-and-Transport Dataset, Annual, 2016 Onward. Retrieved May 1, 2025, from https://unctadstat.unctad.org/datacentre/dataviewer/US.TransportCosts
Top 10 Freight transport work in thousand ton-km (Export)
Source: UNCTAD & World Bank. (n.d.). TransportCosts. UN Trade & Development Data Hub - Trade-and-Transport Dataset, Annual, 2016 Onward. Retrieved May 1, 2025, from https://unctadstat.unctad.org/datacentre/dataviewer/US.TransportCosts
Connectivity and performance
LPI
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Liner shipping connectivity index
Port liner shipping connectivity index
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Bilateral liner shipping connectivity index
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Trade cost
Container port performance index
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Remoteness index
Sustainable freight transport index
Percent of firms identifying transport as a major constraint
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Shipping emissions
EDGAR GHG 2025
Transport energy consumption
EDGAR AP 8.1
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GAINS emissions
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Adaptation and resilience
Average annual loss
Port risk
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Investment on ports
Development financing
Private participation in infrastructure
Policy Targets
Policy Measures
| Cook Islands Economic Development Strategy 2030 | Development of shipping/ maritime/ inland water transport (IWT) plan/ policy | Implement Shipping Roadmap actions to ensure the sustainable, safe, reliable and affordable provision of inter-island shipping | 2021 |
| Cook Islands Economic Development Strategy 2030 | Excavation/dredging | Improve access and dredging, and assess viability of installing permanent buoys to assist the safe anchoring of vessels during rough weather, | 2021 |
| Cook Islands National Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021 | Inland waterways (IWT) improvement - General | Wharf Upgrade | 2021 |
| Cook Islands Economic Development Strategy 2030 | Maritime Safety | Improve access and dredging, and assess viability of installing permanent buoys to assist the safe anchoring of vessels during rough weather, | 2021 |
| Cook Islands National Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021 | Resilient transport infrastructure | Harbor Climate Resilience | 2021 |
| Cook Islands Economic Development Strategy 2030 | Shipping improvement - General | Improve access and dredging, and assess viability of installing permanent buoys to assist the safe anchoring of vessels during rough weather, | 2021 |
| Cook Islands Four Year Plan | Shipping improvement - General | strengthening maritime and aviation safety | 2021 |
| Cook Islands National Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021 | Shipping improvement - General | Marina Extension. Jetty Construction. Harbor Upgrade. Harbor Improvement. | 2021 |
| Maritime Zones Act 2018 | Shipping improvement - General | (1) The Minister may, by public notice, prescribe sea lanes and traffic separation schemes for foreign ships exercising the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. (2) Ships of all States have,in accordance with international law, the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea ofthe Cook Islands, but this right issubject to compliance with any notice given under subsection (1). | 2018 |
| Maritime Zones Act 2018 | Transport international conventions - General | All States enjoy in the exclusive economic zone the high seas freedoms of navigation and over flight and of the laying of submarine cables and pipelines, and all other internationally lawful uses of the sea related to those freedoms, but this right is subiect to this Act, the other laws of the Cook Islands, and international law. | 2018 |
| National Sustainable Development Plan 2016-2020 | Transport access improvement - General | ensure that all people in the Cook Islands have adequate and reliable transport via shipping and air links | 2016 |
| Maritime Transport Policy | Maritime Safety | Effective national law and safety management systems for small commercial vessels. We will advise Government and facilitate the provision of expert maritime advice with regard to safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly maritime transportation to and from the Pa Enua. | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport Policy | Research in transport sector | We will work with Government to ensure that the Maritime Division of the Ministry of Transport is well resourced to carry out its regulatory functions and powers | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport Policy | Shipping improvement - General | Effective national law and safety management systems for small commercial vessels. We will advise Government and facilitate the provision of expert maritime advice with regard to safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly maritime transportation to and from the Pa Enua. | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport Policy | Shipping port infrastructure improvements | 6.1 We shall work with the port authority to ensure that ongoing safe management of the ports of Avatiu and Aitutaki is carried out under an internationally recognised risk assessment and safety management system 6.2 We shall work with the port authority to introduce regulations, to international standards, for the safe pilotage of ships in the port of Avatiu | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport Policy | Transport Laws and Regulations- General | We will ensure that the Cook Islands national maritime law required by international instruments is effective, up-to-date and capable of enforcement. | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport (Small Motorized Vessels) Regulations | Reporting, transparency, feedback mechanism | Reporting of accident or incident at sea Where any accident or incident involving damage to any motorised vessel or injury or harm to any person occurs, the driver, or operator, of the vessel concerned, or any other person must report the accident or incident to the Director; where the Director is unavailable, to a member of the Cook Islands Police, or the Harbour Master. The report must be made immediately after the trip and no later than 24 hours after the accident or incident. Any driver or operator of any motorised vessel, involved in any accident or incident, who fails to report the accident or incident to the Director, a member of the Cook Islands Police or the Harbour Master, as the case may be, commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.00. | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport (Small Motorized Vessels) Regulations | National drink-driving law | No person may drive, operate or be in control of any motorised vessel while having a blood/ alcohol content of 0.08 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath or above. No person may drive, operate or be in control of a motorised vessel being used for any commercial purpose while having a blood/alcohol content of 0.02 micrograms ofalcohol per litre of breath or above. | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport (Small Motorized Vessels) Regulations | Maritime Safety | Any motorised vessel navigating at a speed of 10 knots or more must stay 30 metres clear of any shoreline, wharf, jetty, navigation mark, Fish Aggregation Device (FAD), or any other vessel, and 60 metres clear of any person in the water. Any motorised vessels navigating at a speed in excess of 5 knots must keep 200 metres clear of any vessel displaying a diver's flag (International Code Flag "A"). Any motorised vessels towing any person on skis or any other type of device must carry an observer in addition to the driver and must keep 60 metres clear of any structure, shoreline, navigation mark, Fish Aggregation Device (FAD), or vessel, and 100 metres clear of any person in the water. This Rule also applies to persons engaged in barefoot skiing. Personal watercraft must only be operated during daylight hours. Any person driving or riding upon a personal watercraft must wear a lifejacket or personal floatation device at all times while on the personal watercraft. Bow riding (sitting on the bow of a motorised vessel while the vessel is underway) is strictly prohibited. Minimum safety equipment requirements Any motorised vessel to which these Regulations apply must carry. such equipment as is prescribed in the Third Schedule to these Regulations. Provided that where, because of the design of the vessel it is impractical to carry an item of safety equipment, application in writing may be made to the Director for an exemption for the requirement to this item provided that the safety of persons or the vessel is not compromised. The onus of ensuring that any motorised vessel to which these Regulations apply is equipped and carrying such safety equipment as prescribed by the Third Schedule, is on the driver, operator, or user of such motor vessel. Any motorised vessel to which these Regulations apply may be inspected for compliance with these Regulations by the Director, or any person designated by the Secretary for that purpose, or by the Harbour Master, or by a member of the Cook Islands Police Force, or any Fisheries Officer appointed under the Marine Resources Act, at any time deemed reasonable, to ensure that the correct safety equipment is on board and in good and workable condition. Where a vessel does not meet the minimum required safety equipment on board, or is, in any way, deemed to be unseaworthy, the inspecting person may direct the driver or operator of the vessel not to take the vessel on any trip until the minimum required safety equipment requirement is met and the vessel is deemed seaworthy. | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport (Small Motorized Vessels) Regulations | Driver licensing | Any person who drives or operates a motorised vessel must have the appropriate Motorised Vessel Drivers Licence permitting that person to drive or operate such a motorised vessel. A Motorised a Vessel Drivers Licence may be in the following classes; General Licence, a Young Adult General Licence, a Personal Watercraft Licence, and a Young Adult Personal Watercraft Licence. Any driver or operator who holds a General Licence is deemed also to hold a Personal Watercraft Licence. A General Licence or Personal Watercraft Licence may only be issued under the following conditions- (a) the applicant is- (i) 16 years of age and over; and (ii) have passed the Boat License Test, conducted by a designated representative of the Ministry of Transport. A Young Adult General Licence may be issued to a person between the ages of 13 and 16 years. A Young Adult General Licence and Young Adult Personal Watercraft Licence may only be issued under the following condition- (a) the applicant is- (i) of 13 years and under 16 years of age; and (ii) his or her parent or guardian has consented to the application and has signed the application form; and (iii) has passed the Boating License Test, conducted by a designated representative of the Ministry of Transport. (7) The holder of a Young Adult General Licence or Young Adult Personal Watercraft Licence, when driving or operating a vessel must be accompanied by the holder of a General Licence or Personal Watercraft Licence, as the case may be, at all times while driving and operating a vessel and is only permitted to drive or operate a vessel during daylight hours and to a maximum speed of (8) 15 knots. All applications for a Motorised vessel Licence must be made in writing to the Director using the Application Form (Form C in the Schedule) set out in these regulations. In the case of the outer islands, such application may be made to a Fisheries Officer. | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport (Small Motorized Vessels) Regulations | Transport international conventions - General | Anydriver or operator of motorised vessel must, at all times, comply with the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea, including the carriage of the relevant navigation lights, and having particular regard for "safe speed". | 2014 |
| Shipping (Infringement Deficiency) Regulations | Transport Laws and Regulations- General | Responsibility for compliance (1) It is the responsibility of an owner, charterer and master of a vessel to ensure that the vessel and each seafarer employed on the vessel comply at all time with,- (a) all Rules applicable to the vessel or a seafarer: (b) all conventions applicable to the vessel or a seafarer. (2) An owner, charterer and master of a vessel who fails to ensure that the vessel and each seafarer employed on the vessel complies with paragraphs (a), are and (b), as the case may be, is guilty of aninfringement deficiency and is liable | 2014 |
| Maritime Transport Act 2008 | Transport Laws and Regulations- General | COOK ISLANDS MARITIME TRANSPORT ACT 2008 | 2008 |
| Maritime Transport Act 2008 | Vessel scrappage and retrofit | PART 11 SALVAGE | 2008 |
| Ship Registration Act | Transport institutional reform | . Registrar of Ships – (1) There shall be a Registrar of Ships who shall be appointed by the Administrator with the approval of the Secretary which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. (2) The terms and conditions upon which the Registrar is appointed shall be determined by the Administrator. Delegation by Registrar – (1) The Registrar may with the approval of the Administrator, – (a) appoint any person to be a Deputy Registrar on terms and conditions; and (b) in writing, delegate to a Deputy Registrar or any other person, any or all of the Registrars responsibilities, functions and powers. (2) The performance of a responsibility, function or power by a person to whom it is delegated shall be valid and effective as if performed by the Registrar. (3) A delegation of a responsibility, function or power under this section shall not prevent the performance of that responsibility, function or power by the Registrar. (4) A Deputy Registrar or other person to whom a responsibility, function or power is delegated shall not be personally liable in respect of any act or omission when acting in that capacity unless that person has acted in bad faith. | 2007 |
| Ship Registration Act | Transport asset condition assessment | Surveys – (1) To determine if a vessel can or can continue to be registered under this Part, the Registrar may require the ship to be surveyed for a purpose and in a manner directed by the Registrar. (2) A survey under subsection (1) shall be conducted by a surveyor appointed by the Registrar. (3) A surveyor appointed under subsection (2) shall not be personally liable in respect of any act or omission when acting in that capacity unless the surveyor has acted in bad faith. | 2007 |
| Ship Registration Act | Transport asset management - General | An application for registration of a vessel shall describe the vessel and contain such information as the Registrar shall require so as to determine, – (a) the age of the vessel; (b) the safety of the vessel; (c) the seaworthiness of the vessel; (d) the manning levels required for the vessel; (e) the owners of the vessel; (f) if the vessel is registered elsewhere, it has been or will be (in the case of provisional registration) deregistered; (g) the surveys to be conducted and the certificates required to be issued for the vessel to comply with this Act or any other Act; (h) subject to regulations being prescribed, the representative person in the Cook Islands for the vessel; (i) such other matters as the Registrar may deem necessary to fulfill the Registrars functions, duties and obligations under this Act and any other Act. | 2007 |
| Admiralty Act | Transport Laws and Regulations- General | (1) The admiralty jurisdiction established by this Act, being part of the civil jurisdiction of the Court as conferred by Article 47 of the Constitution, may be exercised by the Court in rem and in personam; irrespective of where the claim arose, the place of registration of the ship concerned or of the residence, domicile or nationality of the owner. | 2004 |
| Shipping Lisence Ordinance | Shipping improvement - General | An Act to amend the Cook Islands Shiru,ing Licence Ordinance 1963 to achieve the better rationalization and utilization of ships engaged in the carriage of cargo to and from the Cook Islands. An Ordinance ot the Legislative Assembly of the Cook Islands to control the issue of licences permitting ships to engage in the ca=iage of passengers or goods to, fran or within the Cook :Islands. | 2000 |
| Prevention of Marine Pollution Act | Green shipping program | Discharge of oil or pollutants into Cook Islands Waters (1) No oil or any pollutant shall be discharged or allowed to escape from a vessel or platform into Cook Islands waters. Discharge of garbage and sewage from ships and platforms - (1) No garbage or sewage shall be discharged or allowed to escape from a vessel or platform in Cook Islands Waters. Equipment to deal with pollution - (1) The Secretary may designate the Principal Surveyor or other Surveyors to carry out inspections on board vessels and platforms to determine the adequacy and appropriateness of equipment carried on board to deal with waste or other matter, and may charge such fees as are reasonable to cover the cost of such inspection. (2) For the purpose of cleaning up or removing or dispersing any pollutant in or on the sea, all vessels and platforms shall carry adequate and appropriate equipment as required by international and regional standards in quantities determined by the Principal Surveyor. | 1998 |
| Prevention of Marine Pollution Act | Transport international conventions - General | Thefollowing International Maritime Conventions are adopted into and have the force of law in the Cook Islands: (a) International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973; and the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (MARPOL 73/78); (b) Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (The London Dumping Convention); (c) Convention for the Protection of the natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region 1986 (SPREP Convention), including the - (i) Protocol for the Prevention by Pollution of the South Pacific Region by Dumping, 1986; (ii) Protocol Concerning Co-operation in Combating Pollution Emergencies in the South Pacific Region; (d) International Convention relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Oil Pollution Casualties (1969); and the Protocol relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Pollution by Substances other than Oil, 1973; (e) International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1969 and the 1976, 1984 and 1992 Protocols to the Civil Liability Convention (CLC 1969); and (f) International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation of Oil Pollution Damage, 1976,1984 and the 1992 Protocols to the Fund Convention (FUND 1971); (5) The following International Maritime Conventions are adopted into and have the force of law in the Cook Islands, but only to the extent that the provisions apply to the Cook Islands: (a) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, (SOLAS 1974) and its Protocol of 1978, articles, annex and certificates, and any amendment thereto; (b) International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, (STCW 1978) as amended in 1995, (STCW-95) and any subsequent amendments thereto. Dumping or incinerating without a permit - (1) No wastes or other matter in whatsoever form or condition shall be dumped from a vessel or platform into Cook Islands waters except as specified under Article IV of the London Dumping Convention. | 1998 |
| Ports Authority Act | Transport institutional reform | Ports Authority - (1) There shall be an authority called the Ports Authority. (2) The Authority shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and shall be capable of acquiring, holding, and disposing of real and personal property, suing and being sued and, subject to the provisions of this Act, of doing and suffering all such other acts and things as a body corporate may lawfully do and suffer. | 1994 |
| Ports Authority Act | Reporting, transparency, feedback mechanism | Annual report and accounts - (1) Within 2 months after the end of each financial year, the Board shall deliver to the Minister (a) a report of the operations of the Authority during that financial year; and (b) consolidated financial statements for that financial year, consisting of statements of financial POSitIon, profit and loss, changes in financial position, balance sheets and such other statements as may be necessary to show the financial position of the Authority and the financial results of its operations during that financial year; and (c) an auditor's report on those financial statements, made by an auditor approved by the Minister. Half-yearly reports - (1) Within one month after tile end of the first half of each financial year, the Board shall deliver to the Minister a report of its operations during that half-year. (2) Each report required by this section shall include the information required by the statement of corporate intent to be included therein. | 1994 |
| Ports Authority Act | Maritime Safety | 36. Pilots to be examined - No person shall be appointed as a pilot at any harbour or port unless he has been approved by the Cook Islands Marine Board and has received and continues to hold a certificate of competency issued by that Board. Pilot boat and pilot signals - A pilot boat shall display in a conspicuous position such distinguishing marks or lights as shall be prescribed under bylaws (a) when engaged in pilotage duty in the daytime, a large flag having a white upper horizontal half and a red lower horizontal . half; (b) when so engaged at night, the lights required for that pilot boat by regulations for the prevention of collisions at sea for the: time being in force, or such other signals, marks or lights as may be prescribed under bylaws. | 1994 |
| Ports Authority Act | Shipping improvement - General | Objectives and functions of the Authority - (1) The objectives of the Authority are to promote, encourage and assist in the development of commercially viable and efficient ports in the Cook Islands to which this Act shall apply. (2) The functions of the Authority are to establish, improve, maintain, operate and manage ports and services and facilities in connection with the operation of any port, and to carry on such other types of business as may be approved by the Minister. | 1994 |
| Ports Authority Act | Reference to domestic financing mechanisms | Money constituting Ports Authority Fund - (1) There shall be a fund, to be termed the Ports ALlthority Fund, consisting of the money arising from the following sources: (a) pmt dues and pilotage rates, and all other dues the Board is empoweded to levy or receive; (b) port improvement rates; (c) rents and profits of land vested in the Board; (d) proceeds and profits of land set aside as endowments for the Board; (e) fines recovered under this Act, or under any bylaw made by the' Board under this Act, for any offences committed within the harbour of the Board; (f) all other money received by or becoming the property of the Board under the authority of this Act or a special Act or any other enactment. | 1994 |