Photo is off Greymouth
Was it lost or adrift at sea, residents asked after seeing a ship in an unusual place near Kapiti Island late on Sunday.
It turns out the Coastal Bulk Shipping's fertiliser carrier, Anatoki, was sheltering to dodge strong westerly winds.
Coastal trading ships do not generally sail inside Kapiti Island but Wellington Harbourmaster Mike Pryce said there was nothing to prevent a small ship like Anatoki from doing so.
Doug Smith, general manager of Coastal Bulk Shipping, said Anatoki was on a voyage from Napier to Whanganui "in ballast" when the skipper decided to seek shelter from the strong westerlies inside the lee of Kapiti Island.
"It was on its way to pick up a load of urea from Whanganui. It'll be loading urea out of Whanganui and taking it to Nelson from there," Mr Brown said.
The ship resumed its voyage overnight and about 9am today its locator beacon recorded it as having arrived at the port of Whanganui.