A former Dunedin man whose vessel was severely damaged in a fire at Careys Bay, may be forced to leave his Tauranga berth, following concerns by the council there about his other vessel.
Earlier this month a dozen firefighters battled a large blaze on Neptune, which was believed to have started on the wooden wharf before spreading to the junk-filled vessel.
The police investigation into the fire remains open, but it is not being treated as suspicious.
Before the fire, both Fire Service and Port Otago had talked to the owner, who is now based in Tauranga, about the vessel, which was filled with discarded ropes and barrels of waste oil and diesel.
The Tauranga City Council confirmed to the Otago Daily Times that the owner of Neptune also owns Waiwera, berthed at a Tauranga City-owned wharf.
"Council is currently in discussion with the owner of the vessel about its future as a berth holder at this wharf, due to concerns about the vessel and because the space is required for more active vessels," a spokeswoman said.
The Otago Regional Council was seeking thousands of dollars in costs associated with the clean-up of the vessel.
Port Otago chief executive Geoff Plunket said his company was unhappy with the way the man had collected some items and stored them on Neptune, which he had lived on temporarily.
The company's expectation for the Careys Bay marina was that apart from visiting yachtsmen or other short-term uses, people should not use the marina as a permanent home.
"We set some requirements in what could be stored on the boat, that the vessel be maintained in a seaworthy condition, and that he was also storing some stuff on land which we insisted be removed."
Mr Plunket said the man had been spoken to before the fire about some issues concerning the vessel, and he confirmed the owner was still leasing a berth at the wharf.
He confirmed letters were issued to the man before the fire, outlining his responsibility for the vessel.
The company was working with the regional council in managing the vessel to make sure it did not pose an environmental risk, but it remained the owner's responsibility, he said.
