Ship in port for repairs after grounding

A full laden log ship which ran aground as it left the Port of Tauranga on Monday night is likely to stay in port for several days while damage is repaired.

The Korean-owned Hanjin Bombay was stuck on rocks just outside the entrance to Tauranga Harbour late on Monday night, apparently after it lost power.

Engineers restored power and with the aid of Port of Tauranga tugs the ship was floated off the rocks after two hours and was taken out to sea where it was anchored about 1.5km off the port entrance.

It returned to port yesterday and a diver found hull damage, said marine surveyor Mike Austin.

The ship would need temporary repairs before it could sail and that would probably involve welding steel plates over the damage but did not mean the ship's log cargo would need to be unloaded.

The repairs could be done under water, Mr Austin said.

It was uncertain how long the vessel would need to remain in Tauranga.

Maritime New Zealand, which was also investigating the grounding, said it had no report of any oil or fuel leaked from the ship during the grounding.

- NZPA