The crew on a ship from which a deckhand fell to his death in Tauranga rarely wore safety harnesses and neither did those in charge, an investigation has found.
The deckhand fell 10 metres onto the deck and then into the water as he worked on the Mount Hikurangi carrier vessel in February.
It was his first job on a ship.
Navy divers found his body hours later.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission found there was a poor safety culture on the boat, despite company policy.
It said none of the crew wore a safety harness on the day of the accident. Deck officers did not set an example by wearing them.
The commission did not make any formal recommendations, saying safety changes had already been made.