When oil exploration vessel Polarcus Alima sailed through the fog and berthed at dawn yesterday, there was a highly-visible police presence onshore at Port Chalmers.
However, an expected protest against the ship's visit failed to materialise when it docked for a crew changeover before departing for a deep-sea sojourn to conduct a hydrographic survey of the Great South Basin ocean floor.
The 89m-long Polarcus Alima, and its supply vessel Jaya Amazon, are part of a preliminary survey being carried out by international oil company OMV and its New Zealand-based joint venture partner Shell.
An OMV spokesman said Polarcus Alima, accompanied by a marine escort in the form of the Otago coastguard vessel, visited Port Chalmers to pick up additional crew members in preparation for a 150-day voyage to the Great South Basin, about 200km off the New Zealand coastline.
A 60-strong crew will man the ship during its scheduled survey of the ocean floor, while Jaya Amazon will service it, the OMV spokesman said.
Senior Sergeant Bruce Ross, of Dunedin, said police had received information there was a possibility of protest action against the ship's visit.
"For operational reasons, police were not able to comment further on any other aspects in relation to the ship's visit," he said in an emailed statement yesterday.
Save Otakou from Oil Drilling leader Niamh O'Flynn was lamenting a missed opportunity to protest yesterday.
Ms O'Flynn, speaking from Christchurch, said she was "devastated" no-one had demonstrated against the visit by the oil exploration vessel.
"I'm upset that I wasn't able to be there for that. We have missed out on putting our point across," she said.
Port Otago chief executive Geoff Plunket said the visit of Polarcus Alima, despite its specialised operational capabilities, had been a routine berth "security-wise".
The police presence at the port was justified given there was a potential for protest action at the vessel's presence, he said.
