Port Otago apologised in advance to the coastal communities through a Facebook post before Monte Tamaro arrived at 6.30am yesterday.
Port Otago chief executive Kevin Winders said the vessel had remained un-silenced when other vessels on the shipping line had silencers retrofitted a few years ago.
"It needs to run its auxiliary generators to effectively keep our reefer cargo cold, or frozen in some cases.
"Therefore it generates a low-frequency noise and it is clearly not a desired effect for our community."
However, the good news was the ship only had one more visit scheduled before it was removed from the New Zealand coast and deployed elsewhere in the world, Mr Winders said.
Monte Tamaro was not a preferred ship because it was un-silenced, and was only introduced to the shipping line to cope with the congestion created by Covid-19.
The coastal communities had been co-operative and a big southerly wind had blown the noise from the ship out to sea yesterday, Mr Winders said.
"It’s good conditions for the vessel to be in port [yesterday] and tonight, and hopefully it’s gone [today].
Dunedin city councillor Steve Walker said compared with years gone by, the communications from Port Otago through social media were helpful and informative.
He said he had not received complaints from anyone in the West Harbour community about the ship’s present visit.
