In May last year, Port Otago received a five-year resource consent term to continue operating its Kitchener St slipway, but stringent new conditions meant that
activity was expected to be almost nil.
Port Otago's manager of marine and infrastructure Sean Bolt said, when contacted yesterday, while the company had consent to slip port-owned vessels, that consent had several conditions, including being able to spray paint only in certain wind conditions.
Mr Bolt said Rahi Te Toha was slipped earlier this week for its ''regular survey'' and repaint.
The 1975-built, 24.8m long Rahi Te Toha was not up for replacement, Mr Bolt said.
Port Otago said last year, given the proposed harbourside development around the Steamer Basin, it could take about two years to decide on a new slipway location, possibly in the upper harbour or at Port Chalmers.
Port Otago could also send its vessels to slip facilities at Lyttelton Port of Christchurch or South Port at Bluff.
-The former Otago Harbour Board installed the slipway and a boat cradle in 1978, and upgraded it in 1984 to handle its suction dredge New Era, before ownership of the slipway was transferred from the harbour board to Port Otago Ltd in 1989.
