Research vessel comes a cropper

The skipper of the University of Otago research vessel Polaris II, who left the wheel just before it hit part of a fuel wharf at Bluff, has accepted blame for the early morning incident.

Polaris II master Bill Dickson, of Dunedin, said he left the wheel of the vessel at 4am on Sunday to turn on the floodlights, but the tide caused the vessel to collide with a concrete structure by the fuel wharf.

"What can I say? It was my fault."

The research vessel was due to depart on a trip to Fiordland at 5am, but that voyage had been postponed until repairs to the starboard side of the vessel had been completed in Bluff.

Marine Science department head Prof Gary Wilson said he inspected the damage on Sunday afternoon.

The extent of damage to the insured vessel would be known once assessment work had been completed, he said.

Polaris II was due to depart for Fiordland for a series of postgraduate research expeditions.

One student was on board with the crew at the time of the accident, but no-one was injured.

Alternative arrangements had been made to allow some students to complete research using smaller vessels, but the rest would have to wait for the repair of Polaris II.

The incident had been reported to Maritime New Zealand, which was yet to determine if an investigation would be carried out.