10 Oct 2012

Vessels involved in 11 near-misses since Rena grounding

4:46 pm on 10 October 2012

In the year since Rena was grounded, 11 near-misses involving shipping have occurred around the New Zealand coast.

Maritime New Zealand has given details of incidents that occurred since the Rena ran onto Astrolabe Reef in the Bay of Plenty on 5 October 2011.

One involved a minor collision with a wharf, and another more serious one caused damage to the ship involved.

In others, yachts or fishing boats sailed across the bows of an incoming vessel.

Three cases involved Cook Strait ferry Kaitaki. In one, the ferry had to blast its horn five times at a fishing boat that should have given way but didn't.

On another occasion, the Kaitaki came within 100 metres of a launch in the Marlborough Sounds.

The third involved LPG tanker Astrid which crossed the path of the Kaitaki as it exited Tory Channel and was required to change its course, but did not do so until the ferry had itself changed its direction to avoid a collision.

Many of the incidents which involved minor things such as problems with ladders as harbour pilots sought to board an incoming ship, Maritime New Zealand says.