The Ukrainian-registered cruise ship Olvia left Auckland overnight after the Maritime Safety Authority detained it earlier yesterday.
MSA deputy director Tony Martin today said the ship had been cleared to cross the Tasman, but an audit of the ship's engineers was still to be carried out when the vessel reached Sydney.
"We
found that procedures weren't being followed properly," he said.
The aim of the audit would be to ensure the right systems were in place now.
Yesterday MSA staff found problems with an emergency pump on the 650-passenger ship and with equipment that separates oil from water in the ship's bilges.
The MSA imposed a notice of detention on the Olvia mid-afternoon.
Mr Martin said concerns had been in relation to the marine environment, rather than passenger safety.
The work needed to ensure the ship was clear to cross the Tasman had been done in Auckland before the Olvia departed, he said.
Today, Ports of Auckland spokeswoman Bronwyn Jones said the ship had left for Sydney at 11pm.
Initially, it had been scheduled to leave earlier in the evening, having arrived from Bora Bora yesterday morning.
- NZPA
