Bulk carrier aground near Bluff

10.00am

UPDATE - A bulk carrier with 2000 tonnes of urea fertiliser aboard has run aground at Tiwai Point near the entrance to Bluff Harbour.

The Hong Kong-flagged Tai Ping, with a crew of 23, had just left Tiwai Wharf after unloading bauxite this morning, according to Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman Amanda Heath.

The cause of the grounding is unknown. Ms Heath said the weather was calm but there was a thick fog when the 16,000-tonne bulk carrier ran aground shortly after 4.30am.

In addition to its cargo of urea, the ship was carrying about 350 tonnes of fuel, oil and diesel for its own needs.

Environment Southland spokeswoman Nicky Waghorn said there was damage to the ship's forepeak ballast tank and the No 3 and 4 port tanks, all of which contained water ballast.

"We believe the vessel was being piloted out of the harbour, but we're unsure as to why it ran aground," she said.

Ms Heath confirmed there was a pilot aboard.

The Maritime Safety Authority is responding to the grounding at the highest level - tier three, an MSA spokeswoman said today.

A tier three response enables the MSA to control and co-ordinate the clean up with the local authority and to call on national resources to do so.

Commercial shipping operations at the port have been halted, and divers have been assessing damage to the 16,000 tonne Hong Kong-flagged vessel .

Director of maritime safety Russell Kilvington said that by declaring a tier three emergency, the MSA was able to plan for a major pollution response "should there be a significant oil spill from the vessel".

He said there had been no reports of oil coming from the ship.

"But we are concerned both about the risk of an oil spill and the safety of the cargo of fertiliser on board," Mr Kilvington said.

He said a tier three response also meant the MSA could oversee attempts to refloat the vessel.

"While every high tide represents an opportunity, this must be balanced by a careful assessment of the risks to the vessel of doing so," Mr Kilvington said.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said it has dispatched investigator-in-charge Doug Monks and investigator Iain Hill to the Tai Ping.

Their initial work will involve determining the vessel's movements and interviewing the crew.

TAIC is the independent crown entity responsible for the investigation of accidents and incidents for safety rather than blame.

- NZPA

Further reading
nzherald.co.nz/marine