The ‘blacked' ship Kota Permasan is in Tauranga today with some uncertainty over its next port.

The Maritime Union of New Zealand ‘blacked' the ship over the weekend, declaring from a conference in Australia that it would be blacklisted.

The Kota Permasan at the Port of Tauranga today.

It was also declared the ship's operator, Pacific International Lines, would be targeted by union actions on both sides of the Tasman if the ship was worked in Auckland by non-union labour.

Under New Zealand employment law, permanently employed stevedores are not compelled to be union members.

Such threats, bullying and intimidation has characterised the Maritime Union of New Zealand throughout the dispute, says Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson today.

'Interference from the Maritime Union of Australia will be strongly opposed by New Zealanders,” says Tony.

'These threats have resulted in the ship being diverted to Tauranga.

'The Port of Tauranga operates with all stevedoring operations outsourced under contract making the union's actions even more bizarre.

'The union is costing Auckland workers their jobs from the safety of their Sydney conference hotel suites.

'It is abhorrent that a New Zealand union is making direct threats against shipping lines and is inciting Australians to act against the interests of our employees, our customers, Auckland businesses, Auckland city, New Zealand consumers, the New Zealand supply chain and the country as a whole.”

The Kota Permasan normally calls at Auckland from Brisbane to discharge import cargo before calling at Lyttelton, Wellington and Napier, and making the Tauranga load call and sailing for Port Kelang.

From Tauranga the ship is expected to resume the New Zealand coastal port calls.