A Filipino crewman is in hospital with serious injuries after the main crane boom collapsed on a logging ship in the Port of Tauranga this morning.

The 42-year-old was working onboard the Nordic Visby around 5.30am when the main crane boom snapped causing a steel rope to strike the crewman in the chest.

Nordic Visby at Port of Tauranga today.

Tauranga and Mount Maunganui St John Ambulance paramedics were called to the Port along with Mount Maunganui Police.

Mount Maunganui St John Ambulance operations team manager Gary Bishell says the man was taken to Tauranga Hospital in a serious condition around 6am.

'He got substantial injuries and lacerations to his upper chest.”

Mount Maunganui Police Acting Senior Sergeant Craig Warner says police were called to the incident, which has been left in the hands of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Maritime New Zealand spokesperson Steve Rendle says MNZ is aware of the incident and officials will begin an investigation today.

'Yes we are looking into it. We obviously have people looking at that and it is something we take very seriously.”

According to the Port of Tauranga schedule the United Kingdom flagged Nordic Visby berthed in Tauranga at 2.12am today.

It has sailed from Napier and is scheduled to depart at 1.30am on May 19 for Lanshan in China.