The Cook Islands Ministry of Transport is a government entity with policy and primary oversight of the maritime administration; it is responsible for both domestic and international shipping services, including port and coastal state activities. Ship registration and flag State operational responsibilities of the Administration have been delegated via Cook Islands’ law to Maritime Cook Islands (MCI), a corporate entity, through a statutory instrument of delegation between the Ministry of Transport and MCI. MCI has established its head Office in Rarotonga, Cook Islands

The National Maritime Transport Policy establishes policies that will guide the planning, actions and strategies necessary to ensure that local port and harbour safety infrastructure and all shipping services operating to, from or within the Cook Islands, or operating internationally under the Cook Islands flag, are compliant, safe and secure, and pose no threat to the marine environment.