A 250 tonne buoy which dragged its moorings and was washed up on a New Plymouth beach will stay there until at least tomorrow.
A 250 tonne buoy has dragged its mooring and washed ashore on Ngamotu Beach at Port Taranaki in New Plymouth. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
The buoy is owned by New Zealand Steel and is used for its Taharoa iron sand mining operations.
It was moored at Port Taranaki but came loose during the weekend's storm and was blown onto Ngamotu Beach.
The port's chief executive, Guy Roper, said the buoy was filled with water yesterday to stabilise it and it had not moved since.
"The owners and the parties are looking at options to refloat it on the high tide but it won't be refloated before tomorrow."
Mr Roper said the buoy did not present a hazard to shipping or members of the public.
The port has also had to retrieve one of its wave measurement buoys which washed up at the Waiwhakaiho River mouth.
