Photo by Gregor Richardson.
The sister ships Melilla 203 and Melilla 201 were in port for routine and general maintenance, a spokesman for Lyttelton-based United Fisheries said when contacted.
The vessels' month-long stay in Dunedin was not unusual, as repairs and crew changes in Lyttelton sometimes saw fishing vessels alongside for up to two months, the spokesman said.
United Fisheries is one of Christchurch's largest employers, and holds quota allocations for almost 30 species of inshore and offshore fish. It also owns mussel farms. It processes fish for exporting globally, supplies fertiliser and also imports a wide range of mainly seafoods. The 39-year-old company owns and operates some fishing vessels, and also uses chartered deep-sea factory trawlers.
