KEY POINTS:
Slow progress is being made in righting the bulk carrier Taharoa Express, which limped into Nelson's Tasman Bay yesterday with a list caused by its shifting cargo.
The ship got into trouble about 2.30am yesterday after its load of iron sand slurry moved while in rough seas off the Taranaki coast.
It managed to travel to the sheltered waters of Tasman Bay and anchor safely, but was still listing.
Maritime New Zealand spokeswoman Christl McMillan said the list had reduced overnight from about 20 degrees to 18 degrees.
The crew of 25 were today working on correcting the list by pumping sea water into the vessel as additional ballast and moving it around through the ballast compartments as necessary.
"It's a huge operation. We expect it to take all day," Ms McMillan said.
MNZ inspectors were on board the Taharoa today in a supervisory role and would be making thorough inspections before the vessel was cleared to sail.
"There's no hurry for it to sail. It won't be going anywhere until the load is righted and until the weather moderates."
Open sea conditions in the area were still "fairly severe" but Tasman Bay was calm enough to allow the ballast operation to take place, Ms McMillan said.
While the weather-related incident was not being treated as an accident, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) would have a role investigating how the situation unfolded.
The 140,000 tonne bulk carrier was at the centre of a maritime incident in 2004 when it lost power and drifted towards a beach on the west coast south of Auckland.
The iron sand carrier runs regularly between China or Japan and Port Taharoa, Waikato.
- NZPA
