Araon usually docks at Lyttelton but Tuesday's earthquake made its berth there unsafe so it headed south.
ISS-McKay Ltd shipping agent Andrew Sherburd said he was standing on the wharf next to the ship when the earthquake struck.
"It was terrifying. There were bits of concrete flying everywhere and a steel beam came up."
Araon was the first ice-breaking vessel built in Korea and commissioned a year ago. It was designed to carry out comprehensive ocean and polar research.
The ship is 110m long, has three decks, can carry up to 85 people and boasts ultra-modern research facilities.
The ship is having more maintenance carried out and loading supplies in Dunedin and Mr Sherburd came south to supervise the operation.
Fifty scientific staff had disembarked in Christchurch before the earthquake and 18 were to join the vessel for its return trip to Terra Nova Bay in Antarctic.
"We're still loading up scientists and equipment and we're still waiting for spare parts to arrive from Lyttelton," Mr Sherburd said.
The Russian helicopter on board the vessel would be flown off today, as it had to return to Korea.
