A number of Mount Maunganui residents were woken by a sounding ship horn in the Tauranga Harbour in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Today the Port of Tauranga has confirmed an accidently activated fire alarm on a ship on port was to blame.
Rochelle Lockley from the Port of Tauranga said a fire alarm was accidentally activated on board a ship in port, which triggered its horn.
She said the alarm was turned off as soon as it became clear there was no immediate danger to the ship or its crew.
"Unfortunately this was not before the noise woke some residents, we apologise for this unexpected disturbance."