An inquiry has found Port Otago did not meet industry safety standards for monitoring when a container ship grounded on a channel bank.
The Leda Maersk was grounded entering Port Otago. Photo: Donovan Govan, Otago Regional Council
Last June, ship Leda Maersk grounded while entering Port Otago under the direction of a habour pilot onboard.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission said its final inquiry report repeated lessons from a from a similar incident at the harbour two years earlier.
The Commission found the pilot and bridge team didn't recognise the ship was off course.
"They primarily used visual cues outside the ship, not the electronic navigation aids, all of which clearly showed the ship deviating from the planned track," the report said.
"Bridge resource management was below industry good practice and the bridge team did not following all company policies and procedures for navigating in pilotage waters.
"At the time of the grounding, Port Otago's policies, procedures and compliance monitoring of pilotage operations did not meet good industry standards for safety management systems."
No one was injured and the ship received minor damage.
The Commission recommended Maersk Line conducted a fleet wide review of its safety systems and Port Otago ensured its pilotage operations met good industry practice.