Today we're announcing that we have raised US$19M in our Series A and follow-on financing, led by our good friends at Blackbird. The funding is helping us scale to meet global demand and accelerate production of the VS–9. Our production line is already underway with multiple boats in build here at Vessev HQ. To add to the excitement, we’re also announcing our entry into the US market and our first US customer, FlyTahoe! Next month, the VS–9 will debut in NYC for #NewYorkClimateWeek before heading to Washington, DC and then Lake Tahoe for on-water demonstrations. It’s hard to believe that four years ago the VS–9 was just an idea on a napkin. We had a small team who designed and built it all in-house, and in 2024 it flew for the first time. Now our vessels have logged more than 11,000 nautical miles in commercial operation and our team is nearly 60 strong. A huge thank you to Phoebe Harrop Meadows and the team at Blackbird, and our supporters K1W1, Icehouse Ventures, Shasta Ventures, NZVC, GD1 (Global From Day One) and Rypples. Source: Vessev
Marriott International announces plans to debut the Marriott Hotels and Autograph Collection brands in New Zealand, projected to add 335 rooms to their portfolio in New Zealand.
Marriott International Inc. has signed agreements with CP Group to bring three new hotels to the country, further strengthening Marriott’s growing presence across New Zealand. The agreement is expected to mark the country debut of flagship brand Marriott Hotels in Rotorua as well as Autograph Collection in Auckland and Wellington. Building on the relationship between Marriott and CP Group, this signing follows their recently announced St. Regis Queenstown project. The three hotels are expected to open between 2026 and 2029, introducing guests and Marriott Bonvoy members to new accommodation options across New Zealand’s North Island, from the geothermal landscapes of Rotorua to the urban centres of Auckland and Wellington. “Along with Australia and the rest of the Pacific, New Zealand is an important growth region for Marriott International, and this agreement with CP Group reflects our strategy to bring our brands and distinctive experiences to more destinations across the region. As our portfolio expands beyond traditional gateway cities, we see significant opportunities to meet growing demand from travellers and Marriott Bonvoy members for high-quality, differentiated stays. The planned debut of Marriott Hotels in Rotorua – the traditional cultural hub of New Zealand and the Autograph Collection in the vibrant cities of Auckland and Wellington will broaden the choices available to guests while showcasing the unique character of each destination,” said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International. Paul Richardson, Chief Operating Officer of CP Hotels, said, “We're proud to bring the first Marriott hotel brand to Rotorua. As one of New Zealand’s most distinctive tourism destinations, Rotorua Marriott Hotel is set to raise the bar in accommodation for visitors to this iconic region. Marriott Hotels is one of the world’s most recognizable hotel brands, so this is indeed a watershed moment for Rotorua.” “Signing three more hotels with Marriott International in New Zealand brings our total number of Marriott branded hotels across the Pacific to six. We will debut the Marriott Hotels and Autograph Collection brands in Rotorua, Wellington and Auckland. Our Wellington and Auckland hotels will be repurposed historic buildings, delivering much-needed new premium hotel supply to these key cities and expanding the impressive list portfolio of properties under our own Fable Hotels brand.” Rotorua Marriott Hotel is slated to mark Marriott’s entry in Rotorua as part of a conversion deal of the existing Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua. The hotel is planned to undergo a comprehensive 12-month renovation and launching as Rotorua Marriott Hotel in late 2027. Located on Fenton Street, in the heart of Rotorua, the hotel will provide Marriott’s world-famous warm-hearted hospitality and thoughtfully designed spaces for travellers exploring the region, known for its unique geothermal landscapes, Māori culture and outdoor experiences. The transition will represent Marriott’s inaugural foothold in the Rotorua market. The Official Auckland, Autograph Collection is set to bring Marriott’s premium Autograph Collection brand to Auckland in 2028, marking the brand’s arrival in the city through the transformation of a historic building on Eden Crescent in Auckland’s central business district. Celebrated for its elegance and style, the building will be reimagined as a high-end, design-led boutique hotel when it joins the Autograph Collection, Marriott’s global collection of distinctive independent hotels carefully crafted to leave a lasting imprint on guests, and often iconic landmarks themselves or buildings that honour local heritage. Expected to open in 2028 with 82 rooms, the hotel is slated to become Marriott’s fourth hotel in Auckland, offering guests an experience rooted in the distinctive character and history of the building while reflecting the independent spirit synonymous with Autograph Collection. Fable Wellington, Autograph Collection will bring the Autograph Collection brand to Wellington, anticipated to open in 2029, through the repurposing of the historic 1940s office building located on the corner of Lambton Quay and Stout Street. With plans to feature 118 rooms, it will become the latest addition to CP Group’s portfolio of five Fable hotels across New Zealand. Together, the three properties are set to strengthen Marriott’s presence across New Zealand’s North Island and reflects Marriott’s continued focus on working with experienced hotel owners and investors to expand its portfolio in strategic markets. Marriott currently operates two hotels in New Zealand; JW Marriott Auckland, and Four Points by Sheraton Auckland. Two new openings are expected in 2027, with Sheraton Christchurch and Moxy Auckland. With the addition of the three CP Group hotels, Marriott is continuing to grow its presence across New Zealand, complementing its existing portfolio and pipeline of properties across the country and offering Marriott Bonvoy members more opportunities to earn and redeem points while exploring New Zealand.
Source: https://news.marriott.com/
Palmerston North, New Zealand, August 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SunScout Holding Limited (NYSE American/NYSE Texas: SNSC) (“SunScout” or the “Company”), a clean-technology company developing and commercializing autonomous, solar-powered robotic mowers and related solar energy solutions, today announced the closing of its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 3,100,000 Class A ordinary shares at a public offering price of US$5.00 per ordinary share. The Class A ordinary shares began trading on the NYSE American and NYSE Texas on August 12, 2026 under the ticker symbol “SNSC.” The Company received aggregate gross proceeds of US$15.5 million from the Offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and other related expenses. In addition, the Company has granted the underwriters an over-allotment option, exercisable within 45 days after the closing of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 465,000 Class A ordinary shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts. Proceeds from the Offering will be used for: (i) establishing a manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas; (ii) marketing and promotion campaigns; (iii) product development; (iv) inventory; (v) repayment of one loan; (vi) payment under the membership purchase agreement for the acquisition of Brightway Energy LLC; and (vii) working capital. The Offering was conducted on a firm commitment basis. Dominari Securities LLC acted as the lead underwriter and Revere Securities LLC as the co-underwriter (collectively, the “Underwriters”) for the Offering. Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP acted as U.S. counsel to the Company, and Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC acted as U.S. securities counsel to the Underwriters in connection with the Offering. A registration statement on Form F-1 relating to the Offering was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) (File Number: 333-295248), as amended, and was declared effective by the SEC on August 11, 2026. The Offering was made only by means of a prospectus, forming a part of the registration statement. Copies of the final prospectus relating to the Offering may be obtained from Dominari Securities LLC by standard mail to 725 Fifth Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, via email at info@dominarisecurities.com, or by telephone at +1 (212) 393-4500, or from Revere Securities LLC by standard mail to 560 Lexington Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022, via email at contact@reveresecurities.com, or by telephone at +1 (212) 688-2350. In addition, copies of the final prospectus relating to the Offering may be obtained via the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company’s securities, nor shall such securities be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of any of the Company’s securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. About SunScout Holding Limited SunScout Holding Limited is a clean-technology company engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of autonomous, solar-powered robotic mowers and related solar energy solutions. Powered entirely by solar energy through the Company’s proprietary deployable solar array (“DSA”) technology, SunScout's robotic mowers operate independently of the electrical grid and feature autonomous navigation and AI-powered obstacle avoidance. SunScout also provides solar power development solutions, as well as engineering products and services, including precision fabrication, mechanical engineering, and project management. SunScout’s mission is to eliminate reliance on fossil fuels in outdoor maintenance and mobile machinery, beginning with lawn care and expanding into adjacent applications. For more information, please visit the
Company’s website: https://www.snsc.ai.
Auckland, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia, 20 August 2026 – Advent, a leading global private equity investor, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority shareholding in New Zealand Clinical Research Group (NZCR Group), a leading clinical trials and medical research organisation in New Zealand and Australia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. NZCR Group’s clinician shareholders and management, along with local private equity investor Waterman Capital, are retaining a significant minority shareholding, reflecting their ongoing confidence in the business and commitment to its future. This also ensures continuity for customers, employees, and other stakeholders. NZCR Group is a leading physician-led clinical research organisation with more than 35 years of research experience and a strong track record in complex early and later-phase studies. Working with global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and contract research organisations, the group has built a strong reputation for scientific excellence, and the quality of its investigators and clinical teams have made it a trusted long-term partner for drug development. NZCR Group has grown to become one of Australia and New Zealand’s most established clinical research site networks across its NZCR, CMAX, Optimal, and Fusion brands. Drawing on its significant healthcare expertise, demonstrated pharma services track record, and extensive global network, Advent will work with CEO Tony Moffatt and the NZCR Group management team to further enhance the group’s capabilities across the clinical trial spectrum with a particular focus on strengthening sponsor and CRO relationships and international reach as part of the Advent portfolio. Beau Dixon, Managing Director and Head of Australia and New Zealand at Advent, said, “Advent has been following NZCR Group’s success and growth for over 18 months, and we continue to be impressed by the quality of the platform, its clinical leadership, and the trust it has built with biopharma and biotech clients. We look forward to partnering with management and existing shareholders to unlock NZCR Group’s full potential and introduce the business into Advent’s global network. We see exceptional opportunities to build on NZCR Group’s strengths while preserving the clinical focus that underpins its success.” Matt Riley, Executive Director at Waterman Capital, said, “We are very pleased to have partnered with the NZCR Group team through a significant period of development and growth. We look forward to continuing the journey alongside Advent, whose global capabilities and local expertise will help to further enhance the company’s clinical strengths.” Tony Moffatt, Group Chief Executive of New Zealand Clinical Research, said, “This is a proud moment for everyone at NZCR. We believe Advent’s global scale and deep experience in pharma services will help us grow in ways that weren’t possible before, connecting us to new markets, new sponsors, and new opportunities, while keeping clinical excellence at the heart of everything we do.” Advent has strong global investing experience in the healthcare sector, with more than 55 investments made in 17 countries over the past 35+ years. Over the last decade, Advent has invested more than USD $4bn in nine pharma services companies across Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas. Recent investments include Felix Pharma, one of the fastest-growing developers and manufacturers of off-patent medicines for companion animals; Simtra, a leading US-based contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) specialising in sterile injectables; and Cohance, a CDMO and active pharmaceutical ingredient provider in India. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q4 2026. About Advent Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 17 offices across five continents, we oversee more than USD $94 billion in assets under management* and have made 451 investments across 45 countries. Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses. As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 675 colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent’s global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals. To learn more, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn. *Assets under management (AUM) as of March 31, 2026. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles. About New Zealand Clinical Research Group NZCR Group, made up of NZCR, CMAX, Optimal, and Fusion, are a combined single clinical trials organisation offering integrated Phase I-IV clinical trial capability across New Zealand and Australia. With over 30 years’ experience, the clinician led group has vast experience across a significant number of therapeutic areas and strong relationships with loyal sponsor companies in a multitude of international markets. NZCR has some of the most experienced early and late phase research clinicians globally supported by a high-quality group of employees helping in the delivery of groundbreaking research to advance global health. About Waterman Private Capital Waterman is one of New Zealand’s leading private market investors with a 20-year track record of adding value to mid-market businesses. It is an active investor with specialised skills and experience in working with management teams and other stakeholders to build better businesses for the long-term. www.waterman.co.nz
Source: https://www.adventinternational.com/
Crimson Education founder Jamie Beaton, Pushpay co-founder Eliot Crowther and Emerge founder Jovan Pavlicevic join the pre-seed round.
Today we're announcing Azonic's pre-seed round, backed by Blackbird and Antler alongside Jamie Beaton, founder and CEO of Crimson Education; Eliot Crowther, co-founder of Pushpay; and Jovan Pavlicevic, founder of Emerge. Azonic is a unified intelligence platform for law enforcement and intelligence agencies investigating online crime: one system for the reports, case files and intelligence that today sit in separate places, with a virtual analyst working alongside every investigator. Investigators from New Zealand, Australia and the US are already working with the platform today. We come to this from inside the fight. Co-founder and CEO Caden Scott founded the International Online Crime Coordination Center (IOC3), the non-profit that connects law enforcement agencies and the world's largest online platforms against online crime. Co-founder and CTO Thomas Holdom has spent years building AI systems for large, regulated organisations. We're also introducing our advisory board: Michael Hurley, formerly of the CIA and Palantir, where he was a senior adviser to CEO Alex Karp, and Brad Brekke, founding director of the FBI's Office of the Private Sector. "Online crime is scaling faster than the systems built to investigate it, and Azonic is tackling that gap with technology designed specifically for the realities of investigative work. Caden brings rare firsthand exposure to the problem through his work building IOC3, while Thomas brings deep experience building AI systems for complex organisations. Together, they're a potent combination of industry expertise and technical capability needed to take on a problem of this scale, and we're excited to back them" said James Palmer, Blackbird.
Azonic was started because the fastest-growing criminal networks in the world have no headquarters to raid and no hierarchy to dismantle. They run on the platforms millions of us use every day, organising child sexual exploitation, sextortion, fraud and violent extremism across dozens of countries at once. When one account falls, three more appear, and reports of these crimes reaching agencies have multiplied year after year. Behind each one is a person, too often a child. In front of each one is an investigator working to reach them in time. Justice is slower by design. It demands care, rigour and proof that holds up in court. Offending is now automated, distributed and effectively industrial, while the work of proving it remains handmade. The mathematics of the fight have changed, and the people protecting children and communities deserve a way of working built for the new mathematics. The mission is simple to state and hard to do: help them move at the speed and scale of the crime they face. "In my former role with the FBI I observed first hand the speed and scale of threats emerging from the cyber world. I also saw the limitations of traditional methods to identify and track those threats. When I was introduced to Azonic and saw what Caden and Thomas had developed, I was impressed by their innovative platform and their personal commitment to assisting law enforcement. Azonic provides a new powerful tool for the intelligence community to stay ahead of the threats." said Brad Brekke, founding Director of the FBI's Office of the Private Sector. The virtual analyst amplifies every investigator standing between offenders and their victims: it runs down leads, connects a case to the ones that came before it, and drafts the outputs that move cases forward, so no report waits unseen. It is built for the teams doing the hardest work there is: child protection units, counter-extremism teams, and the investigators tracking offending that crosses every border it meets. "Azonic's unified intelligence platform will be an essential and invaluable tool to agencies all over the world that investigate online crimes. As such it has tremendous potential for business growth in law enforcement and national security agencies. The United States alone has 19,000 law enforcement agencies. Canada, the UK, and European countries will constitute a large market for Azonic's unique capabilities." said Michael Hurley, former CIA & Palantir. This is not off-the-shelf AI pointed at policing. On their own, today's AI models do not meet the bar these agencies hold their own people to. Azonic is engineered from the ground up to meet it: a complete intelligence system built for investigative work, of which AI is only one part. Criminal networks have adopted AI with no rules at all. Leveling that field, inside the rules of evidence, is at the core of Azonic. "We backed Azonic because Caden and Thomas have an earned insight to make a significant difference to the intelligence world. Caden has spent years inside the investigative world these agencies operate in, and Thomas has the AI engineering horsepower to ship the agentic tooling their customers desperately need." - James McClure, Antler. We are building Azonic with investigators, not just for them: what they tell us shapes what we ship each week. "I first met Caden as an inquisitive student in Business Navigators. I was blown away when he described his 'side hustle' fighting cyber crime and quickly realised his profound and burning passion for the space. The unicorn creation journey requires relentless obsession and Caden has that. We are delighted to support him," said Jamie Beaton, Crimson Education. This round funds the next stage of the platform and our work with the agencies on the front line of online crime. Crime scales without limits. Investigators do not. Azonic solves that. Azonic is a unified intelligence platform for law enforcement and intelligence agencies, headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. Agencies can request access at azonic.ai. Media enquiries: press@azonic.ai.
The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 AmCham-DHL Express Success and Innovation Awards, the 27th year of these awards celebrating success and innovation for companies doing business with the USA.
AmCham Executive Director, Mike Hearn said that this year we have changed some of the categories to include some of the fastest growing sectors doing business with the USA including space, defence, security, innovation and frontier technologies, Health, life sciences & FMCG.
“Despite all the global challenges, over the last year trade with the US has continued to grow. ”
Mark Foy, Managing Director, DHL Express New Zealand & Pacific Islands, commented: The calibre of this year's finalists reflects the strength of the New Zealand business community and its growing engagement with the United States. At DHL, we see firsthand the ambition required to succeed in the US, and this year's finalists have demonstrated a clear focus on growth and innovation, reinforcing the importance of the United States as a key export destination for New Zealand businesses. On behalf of DHL Express New Zealand, I congratulate all the 2026 finalists.
The winners receive an airfare to anywhere in the USA on United Airlines, with the Supreme winner also receiving US$5,000 of advisory services from Sweeney Vesty, introductions to venture capitalists, economic development agencies in the USA as well as to other valuable connections. Over the last twenty-six years our sponsors have provided over $400,000 worth of prizes to our award winners.
This year’s awards and finalists are:
Defence, space and security with the USA: Celebrating innovation and collaboration in critical security and aerospace sectors. Sponsored by Lockheed Martin.
- Dawn Aerospace New Zealand Ltd - Gallagher Security - Hirtenberger Defence Technology Ltd - Merlin Labs NZ Ltd Innovation and frontier technology (inc fintech) with the USA: Recognizing leadership in cutting-edge technological advancements and financial innovation. Sponsored by Ironside McDonald IP/Buckley Systems.
- Auror Ltd - Lumin - Virtual Eye Ltd
Health, life sciences & FMCG with the USA: Highlighting achievements in the health, biotechnology, and fast-moving consumer goods industries. Sponsored by ANZ Bank.
- BLIS Technologies Ltd - Wet & Forget Ltd - Zespri Kiwifruit – New Zealand Kiwi Holdings Inc.
Sustainable trade and climate with the USA: Honouring contributions to environmental stewardship and the development of sustainable business practices and climate solutions. Sponsored by Insprie Labs.
- AgriZeroNZ - The Better Packaging Co. Ltd - The Sustainable Care Company Ltd (Cleanery)
Cultural connections and inclusion (inc Tourism) with the USA: Acknowledging efforts that bridge communities and promote diverse cultural exchange and inclusive practices. Sponsored by United Airlines.
- Crimson Education Ltd - The Exquisite Group Ltd - Kiwa Digital Ltd - The University of Auckland Business School
Emerging exporter to the USA: Recognizing new and high-growth exporter demonstrating imagination and entrepreneurship in the US market. Sponsored by DHL Express.
- Alimetry Ltd - Evre Self-Care Ltd (NZ) & Evre Self-Care Inc. (US) - Wai Mānuka Ltd
Investor of the year to or from the USA: Honouring significant investment activity, either inbound and outbound, that strengthens the economic ties between the two nations. Sponsored by Sweeney Vesty.
- Bridgewest Venture Fund - TBA’s
One of the above will be selected as the Supreme winner.
One other award will be presented on the night: The AmCham Supporter of the Year
The awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner at the Pullman Hotel Auckland on 17th September for details and tickets see https://www.amcham.co.nz/event-6381968
Previous winners of the Supreme Award have included Peace Software; Airways Corporation; HumanWare; Tenon; Orion Health; Zeacom; SMI Group; Fonterra; Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre; Buckley Systems; Greenshell New Zealand; Vista Entertainment; Fisher & Paykel Healthcare; Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Zespri International; Tourism Holdings; Sir Peter Beck; Seequent Ltd; Oritain Global; Auror Ltd; Toku Eyes, and Windcave.
AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX: AFT; ASX: AFP), today announces that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a tentative approval for Scomara (rapamycin 0.5% cream) for treatment of Facial Angiofibromas in Tuberous Sclerosis (FA in TSC). The quality, efficacy and safety data has been evaluated, and subsequent product labelling and claims have been tentatively approved but the launch and commercialisation is subject to existing ‘orphan exclusivity’ for another product that was granted in 2022 and expires on 22 March 2029. FA in TSC affects between 15,000 to 30,000 patients in the US. Orphan exclusivity in some countries is a regulatory incentive granted to pharmaceutical companies to encourage the development of treatments for rare diseases. In the United States, it provides seven years of market protection during which the FDA cannot approve any other application for the same drug for the same rare disease indication. However, the orphan exclusivity granted in the US does not apply in many other significant markets around the world, where FDA approval will support regulatory approval. These markets include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, where AFT operates directly itself, and many markets in Asia. In these markets AFT believes Scomara will have a competitive advantage over the existing orphan product because the medicine is only applied once a day and it is stored at ambient temperature. In contrast, the competing product must be refrigerated and is applied twice per day. AFT Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson said, “We are pleased to achieve this tentative approval following FDA review of our regulatory application but are disappointed that the US launch will be delayed at least until 22 March 2029. However, the tentative approval is a catalyst for AFT to develop new and significant markets for the medicine outside the US which is positive.” AFT has not forecast any revenue from the medicine in its budgets so this decision does not impact AFT’s forecast for FY27. AFT receives a 65% share of the earnings from the opportunity world-wide after the recovery of development costs. AFT also separately receives a royalty for the use of its proprietary technology in the medicine which is due prior to any profit share calculations. The remaining 35% of profits accrues to the 35% owner of AFT Orphan Pharmaceuticals
Released for, and on behalf of, AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited by Stuart Houliston, Chief Financial Officer
Source: https://www.aftpharm.com/news/
The non-alcoholic category isn't slowing down - and neither are we. We're thrilled to announce Free AF is now available in 900 Kroger stores across the US, including Ralphs Grocery Company, Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc., Smith's Food & Drug Centers, Fred Meyer, and Fry's Food and Drug.This comes right off the back of our major Whole Foods Market launch earlier this year - and marks another giant leap in our US journey. From a female founded brand born in New Zealand in 2020 to 400 Sprouts Farmers Market stores in 2023 and now on the shelves of 4,500 stores across the US, including Walmart and Target. Look for our Margarita Variety and Apero Spritz 4-packs on-shelf now at Kroger stores. Head to our Store Finder to find your nearest stockist →https://lnkd.in/eHjZTAAX.✅ Because everyone deserves a great drink & now it’s even easier for people to get their hands on a Free AF non-alc cocktail in the US. Source: Free AF
On 24 July, USTR announced its final action following its Section 301 investigation into 60 economies that it considers have failed to prohibit and effectively enforce the importation of goods produced (in whole or in part) using forced labour. The final action replaces the 10% Section 122 tariffs, which expired on 24 July, and applied additional tariffs on all investigated economies, accounting for 99% of US goods imports.
Under the final determination, New Zealand is among 41 economies subject to an additional 12.5% tariff. For 38 economies this will be applied on top of the United States' normal Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff rates For Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland it is a ‘net’ rate of 12.5%.
Find the Fact Sheet(external link), Presidential Action(external link) and Federal Register notice(external link).
As with the previous Section 122 tariff regime, a number of New Zealand export products remain exempt from the additional duties. These include:
In addition, USTR has expanded the list of excluded products, adding several hundred tariff lines. See the Annex(external link) to the Presidential Memorandum of 23 July for detail.
The additional exclusions cover approximately NZ$100 million of New Zealand exports, with around 80% of this trade falling under two tariff lines:
For New Zealand, the new Section 301 tariffs will be applied in addition to MFN tariffs, consistent with the previous Section 122 and IEEPA tariff arrangements.
However, the new duties are separate from and will not be imposed on top of existing Section 232 tariffs. Products already subject to Section 232 measures will continue to face those tariffs rather than any Section 301 tariff.
New Zealand is among the 38 economies facing the higher 12.5% tariff (plus MFN), alongside:
The following economies will face an additional 10% tariff (plus MFN):
This was previewed by the draft USTR notice in June. The Presidential Action states that: ‘10 percent is the appropriate rate of Section 301 duties for investigated economies that (i) impose a forced labor import prohibition; (ii) have committed to impose and enforce such a prohibition through an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade; or (iii) have imposed a partial regime with the effect of preventing the importation of certain forced labor goods.’
For several economies, in line with their negotiated framework agreements with the United States, the tariff rate is structured as 10% or 12.5% net of MFN, meaning the total tariff payable is capped at that rate, or if the MFN tariff is over that rate, only the MFN tariff applies:
A more detailed explanation is laid out in the Federal Register Notice.
The New Zealand Government remains disappointed by the US decision and will continue to engage with the United States regarding the investigation and resulting tariff measures.
Exporters should review affected tariff lines and monitor official guidance, including updates to MFAT’s Tariff Finder(external link), which has been updated to reflect the new measures.
Source: https://www.mfat.govt.nz/
On July 13, 2026, the USITC received a letter from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) requesting that the USITC conduct an investigation, under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974, to determine whether lamb meat is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or the threat thereof, to the domestic industry producing like or directly competitive products. See the request letter from USTR [PDF, 2 pages]. Draft questionnaires intended to supplement data from other sources are available for public comment in the Electronic Document Information System (EDIS), document number 887971, through close of business, Friday, July 17, 2026. Comments should be submitted electronically through EDIS and reference Investigation No. 201-3923. Additional information related to this investigation is available in EDIS under Investigation No. 201-3923 (subject to change) and the USITC’s Investigations Database System. Please continue to visit usitc.gov for updates on the investigation.
Source: https://www.usitc.gov/
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