Authorities are continuing their response to the Black Cat vessel, which remains beached at Palm Valley Bay in Akaroa after getting into difficulty on Saturdaty.

Regional On Scene Commander Emma Parr said the vessel is carrying a significant amount of fuel and oil, with monitoring ongoing to minimise environmental impact.

“We are continuing our response to the Black Cat vessel, which remains beached at Palm Valley Bay, Akaroa, after getting into difficulty yesterday afternoon,” Parr said.

She said the vessel has about 2240 litres of marine diesel fuel on board, along with about 120 litres of other oils contained within sealed containers and engines.

“A light fuel sheen is visible on the water surrounding the vessel,” Parr said.

She said a dedicated wildlife team is on standby and response options will continue to be closely monitored and assessed throughout the day.

“A Tier 2 incident response was declared yesterday, and an exclusion zone remains in place,” she said.

“All vessels not involved in the response must stay clear of the area to ensure the safety of responders and the public.”

Parr said a recovery plan is now being developed, with multiple agencies involved.

“We are continuing to work alongside the vessel owner, emergency services, the Department of Conservation, Maritime New Zealand, iwi, and the local community,” she said.

The incident remains under active management.