A catamaran that ran into difficulties entering Wellington Harbour in deteriorating conditions last night will berth soon.
A maritime police spokesman said the catamaran was powering into the waterway under its own steam after encountering a number of problems on the southern tip of the North Island on a trip from Napier.
He said the captain alerted authorities that they were concerned about their safety but were not in need of immediate rescue.
The catamaran had sheltered in Palliser Bay overnight and was now making a fresh bid to get into the harbour.
The police spokesman said it appeared worsening weather, unfamiliar sea passage and the inability to transfer fuel from a holding tank into a day tank had led to the alert.