Mooring dolphin fails

The mooring dolphin (at right) was broken when the Kakariki with a tug passed the moored Mount Owen (pictured) in strong southwest winds at Ravensbourne fertiliser wharf earlier this week.

Port Otago chief executive Geoff Plunket said the "unexpected" failure of the southern dolphin, which it owned, did not cause any damage to the vessels involved.

Mount Owen was moved to Beach St wharf for a short time while the damage was assessed but had been moved back to the Ravensbourne wharf where it had to be berthed differently. The dolphins, like other port equipment, were regularly checked and maintained. Staff and engineers were assessing the dolphin, whose central pile failed, to see if it could be restored or if a new one was needed, he said.

"We want to get it back to the normal way of operating."

The northern dolphin was also being checked.