New Zealand's Land Information Minister is welcoming the completion of electronic navigational charts for the south-west Pacific.
Maurice Williamson says maritime safety has long been a concern in the region, with many charts no longer meeting the needs of shipping in the area.
He says the problem has worsened through the increase in large cruise vessels navigating the poorly-charted region.
The International Maritime Organisation set 2012 - 2018 as the deadline for certain vessels - particularly passenger vessels, tankers and other large ships - to transfer from paper-based navigation to the sole use of electronic charts.
Under the New Zealand aid programme initiative, Land Information New Zealand developed charts for Niue, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands and Tokelau.
Risk assessments have been carried out in Vanuatu, and LINZ will soon finish risk assessment work in Tonga.
