Photo: Christian Alfeld.

Efforts are underway to stabilise the grounded barge Manahau at Westport’s Carters Beach.

The nearly 100-metre-long barge ran aground around midnight last night, with 11 crew members on board. All crew members are reported to be safe and remain on the vessel.

The barge is intact, with no items lost and no leaks detected.

There was no cargo on board at the time of the incident.

Following discussions with local and regional authorities, Maritime NZ has taken charge as the lead response agency. They will oversee all government response efforts related to the vessel and the grounding incident.

Several Maritime NZ personnel are en route to Westport to support the stabilization efforts. A Maritime Incident Response Team has also been established in Wellington, with additional support from staff across the country.

Blair Simmons, Maritime NZ’s Incident Controller, said the immediate priority is to stabilise the vessel and plan a safe way to move it, ensuring the safety of both people and the environment.

“This will require careful planning and analysis, and it will take some time to put things in place. As the vessel remains stable, there is time for this to occur,” Simmons said.

This afternoon, diggers have been working on the beach to create anchor points, securing the vessel in place to prevent it from drifting toward rocks during high tide. All work is being carried out during daylight hours.

The barge operator has informed Maritime NZ that it has consulted with salvage experts and plans to bring a specialist tug vessel from Taranaki to assist with a possible re-floating operation later this week. “Re-floating the vessel will be a delicate operation, and we will closely review any plans being put in place by the operator,” Simmons added.

Maritime NZ is urging the public to stay away from the vessel and avoid approaching the area while machinery is in operation, warning, “This is an operational area, and people need to stay away for their own safety.”

An investigation into the grounding is currently underway.

Simmons expressed gratitude to the Buller District Council and the West Coast Regional Council for their efforts in responding to the situation.

The next update on the situation is expected at around 10 AM on Monday, 2 September.