Questions about crew members of ships like this have been raised by National leader Judith Collins. Photo / File
Questions about crew members of ships like this have been raised by National leader Judith Collins. Photo / File
Questions have been raised over the movements of ship workers at the Port of Tauranga after a foreign port worker supposedly left managed isolation after just one night.
However, government departments and the Port of Tauranga have confirmed the crew member concerned poses no threat as they are in self-isolation onboard.
National Party leader Judith Collins raised the concerns during question time in Parliament.
National leader Judith Collins. Photo / File
She pressed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on the managed isolation protocols, outlining a recent incident involving a worker on a ship moored in Tauranga Harbour.
"Does it concern her that a crew member of the Bahamas-registered cargo ship the Charles Island, currently moored in Tauranga Harbour, having travelled here from Mexico, flew into New Zealand from Belgium three days ago, spent just one night in Auckland's Novotel, and was then driven two hours to the vessel by a privately contracted van driver and was allowed to board without being tested?" she asked.
But Ardern answered by confirming there were protocols in place and why.
The Prime Minister did not want to speak about an individual case without having details, and referred Collins to maritime orders which state a 14-day isolation period is required for crew members but can be "undertaken on the vessel".
"That has been an issue globally. We, essentially, wouldn't have international freight coming into our ports if they were unable to access staff.
"So there are protocols around whether or not individuals in those circumstances can have any contact outside of being immediately on vessels or immediately departing from vessels and going home."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / File
Collins questioned if stevedores or other priority Port of Tauranga staff were socially distancing from the crew member who arrived from Belgium where there were more than 50,000 active cases.
Testing of all priority workers at the Port of Tauranga took place last week and surveillance testing continues. Photo / File
A Port of Tauranga spokeswoman told the Bay of Plenty Times that to keep cargo flowing around the world, international vessels needed to make crew changes, regularly.
"The crew member must travel directly from the airport or quarantine facility to the ship," she said.
"These crew members don't have any contact with any workers at Port of Tauranga as they are driven straight to the vessel, where they go into self-isolation."
Results from the 720 high-priority Port of Tauranga workers tested for Covid-19 last week have all returned negative.
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board began testing at its dedicated testing facility at the Port of Tauranga from midday August 17 and had completed testing the high-priority workers by the morning of August 20.
The Ministry of Health was approached for comment but did not respond by deadline.
