'Sexiest' cruise ship arrives in Tauranga

Luxury cruise liner Seabourn Encore, nicknamed the sexiest ship arrives in the Port of Tauranga with Matakana Island in the background. Photo/John Borren

A cruise ship dubbed the "sexiest ship" which collided with a concrete carrier on Sunday has arrived in Tauranga.

Luxury liner Seabourne Encore arrived in the Port of Tauranga just after 8am and is expected to leave for Auckland at 6pm. The ship, nicknamed the "sexiest ship" will return on Tauranga on Sunday, arriving and sailing at the same times.

An investigation into a collision between the luxury liner Seabourn Encore and the Milburn Carrier II has been launched and could take between 12 and 18 months to complete.

The collision happened at the Port of Timaru on Sunday.

A Transport Accident Investigation Commission spokesman said investigators boarded the Seabourn Encore today at Akaroa and spoke to the captain and collected "relevant" materials.

"What we understand is that the Seabourn Encore was docked alongside the Milburn Carrier II when, in high winds, its moorings broke, and it collided with the carrier," he said. There was some reported damage but no injuries.

The captain of the Milburn Carrier II and port officials were also spoken to by investigators, the spokesman said.

Maritime New Zealand was also investigating. The inquiry findings would be "peer reviewed" before being released.