Visits by two Imabari-built bulk/lumber carriers are of special interest. Third-time visitor TPC Auckland, on a direct voyage from Christmas Island, brought the first shipment of phosphate from there for some time.
The influx of newcomers recorded in recent weeks has not abated.
Over the past 65 years Dunedin has received nearly 1600 visits by tankers, including 118 by the smaller coaster vessels of yesteryear, Maurea, Paua and Tanea.
In looking at this season's cruise ship programme, the Carnival group, the world's biggest cruise ship operator, once again has the largest slice of the cake.
Over the past few weeks, the port has recorded an unprecedented influx of first-time visitors calling to exchange containers, handle forestry exports or discharge bulk cargo at the fertiliser berth.
Making a one-off visit over the weekend, the chartered Cap Mondego is the largest Chinese-built container ship to have appeared here and the largest to display Hamburg-Sud colours.
Due here for the first time tomorrow carrying phosphate is Birch 4, a vessel trading under its fourth name.The ship was the centre of an extremely difficult salvage operation when it went ashore at Gisborne under its original name, Jody F Millennium.
Three weeks from tomorrow port record-holder, the 115,875gt, 2670-berth Sapphire Princess, making its 23rd visit, will herald the start of another annual cruise ship season which will end on April 4, 2011.
Last Friday featured two arrivals of interest, the recently renamed container ship Bunga Raya Dua Belas and Tenor.
In terms of gross tonnage, one cannot help noticing the significant increase in the size of tankers and bulk carriers that now visit the upper harbour.
Two additional names to the list of container ships that have called here are MSC Martina, in port last week, and Maersk Bratan, due next weekend.
Saiki Heavy Industries, a division of the Onomichi Dockyard Company, delivered its first two vessels, a small 998gt tanker in December 1988, followed in April 1989 by a 12,357gt woodchip carrier, much smaller again than vessels of this type that call here from time to time.
Recently I have commented on the 4100teu container ships introduced to the New Zealand trade in 2002, and the departure from it, of eight of them, in the last three years.
MSC Chitra caused no problems on its 13 visits to Port Chalmers from February 3, 2007, to November 25, 2008.
Eight down and two to go, with Maersk Damascus joining the seven other 2002-built, 4100teu vessels that have left the New Zealand trade since the end of 2006.
Eight years ago, 10 container ships were built in South Korea for a round-the-world service from the United Kingdom and Europe, out to Australia and New Zealand, via the Suez Canal, then home by way of the Panama Canal and three US east coast ports.
It is certainly a month for first visits by units of the Pacific Basin fleet.
No strangers to this harbour are owned or chartered handysize, bulk/lumber carriers, operated by Pacific Basin Shipping Ltd, of Hong Kong.
With chartered South Korean-built first-time visitors Sky Apollo (in port yesterday) and MSC Brasilia (due next weekend), a total of 38 vessels will have appeared here in the Mediterranean Shipping Company services since the company made its debut here in March 2006.
After being absent from this harbour for more than 26 years, the funnel markings of one of Denmark's oldest independently operated shipping companies returned last Friday with the arrival of the Chinese-built tanker Nord Swan.
