Port of Auckland’s new pilot vessel Te Ihu has entered the Waitematā Harbour for the first time, completing a four-day sailing across the Tasman Sea after arriving into New Zealand via Opua in the Bay of Islands.
A blessing ceremony was held with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei at the port, marking the occasion alongside recognition of Pilot Boat Master Murray McGehan’s 50 years of service to the port.
The vessel’s name was gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, with Tumu Whakarae Lisa Davis explaining that Te Ihu draws on the knowledge and ingenuity of tūpuna.
Traditional waka carvings beneath the prow, known as tauihu, were designed not purely decoratively but to work with the movement of water to support safe navigation, reflecting the vessel’s role in guiding larger ships safely into port.
Davis described the naming as bringing together Murray McGehan’s lifetime of experience on the water and her own whakapapa connection to the Waitematā through Tuperiri and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, united by aroha for the harbour and its wellbeing.
Chris Mills, Port of Auckland GM Marine, Multi-Cargo and Cruise, expressed delight at welcoming Te Ihu into the fleet after many months of preparation, acknowledging the contributions of Lisa Davis, Murray McGehan and Hart Marine in Australia to the vessel’s development.
Te Ihu will undergo commissioning in the Waitematā Harbour before entering service in the coming months, with the existing Wakatere and Akarana pilot boats continuing to serve customers in the interim.
