Elvis Teddy is pleased at the news of a defended hearing date being set, despite being gutted about today's court appearance being cancelled.

Elvis was due in court today for a status hearing, but found out minutes before he was scheduled to appear that a defended hearing date had already been set.

Elvis says he is gutted that today's hearing has been cancelled.

'The status hearing has been cancelled,” says Elvis.

'Found out today, lawyers have already gone ahead and decided with a judge.

'It's be bit gutting that today's hearing has been cancelled, but at least now we have a date for a defended hearing and we can get this over with.”

The skipper of the fishing boat San Pietro was arrested in April 2011 and charged under the Maritime Transport Act with operating a vessel in an unsafe manner.

Police boarded it on April 23 during a protest against survey operations in the Raukumara basin conducted by the Brazilian company Petrobras.

The maximum penalty for the MTA charge is a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding $10,000.

Elvis says a defended hearing has been set for July 31.

'I'm wrapped now that it's starting. The sooner it starts, the sooner it finishes.”

Elvis says he is now going to meet up with the lawyers and go through the evidence which was disclosed in court.

'I'll be glad to get it over and done with.”