Dredging under way

The MV Pelican will become a familiar sight during the next two weeks as it dredges the shipping channel into Napier Port. Photo / Paul Taylor

Tonnes of sand on the sea floor below the shipping channel into Napier Port will be dredged in the next fortnight by a specialist ship.

The MV Pelican, described as a trailer suction dredge, began working in the harbour on Friday and is expected to operate up to 24 hours a day, moving sand from the harbour entrance.

The 62m-long Timaru-based dredge is moving the sand to an area about 500m from shore near Bay View and Westshore.

Westshore resident Larry Dallimore, a long-time campaigner for the health of the region's coastlines, welcomed the dredging, saying the sand being moved west from the port would help replenish the erosion-plagued Bay View and Westshore beaches.

Mr Dallimore has been lobbying Napier City Council to come up with a solution to the erosion issue for years.

"This is not a fix but ratepayers will be grateful for this corporate responsibility from the port," he said.

Regional harbourmaster Phil Norman has warned all vessels in the harbour to keep clear of the dredge at all times.