A container ship that left Port of Tauranga ealier today is believed to be in trouble at sea.

The container ship MED may have lost its steering somewhere north of Mayor Island.

The ship believed to be named MED arrived at the Port of Tauranga from Napier at 7pm on Sunday before departing for Noumea at 5.30am today.

A marine traffic map shows the ship's course since it left the Port of Tauranga this morning.

The live ships map page http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/home?level0=100 shows the MED at 3.20pm today travelling at minimal speed about 20 miles north of Mayor Island and a similar distance west of Tairua.

The vessel's track shows it has also made a recent significant course alteration and is heading south east instead of north.

The ship's agent is CMA CGM. National operations manager Yuriy Shatura says information passed to Sunlive that port of Tauranga tugs will tow the ship are incorrect and he will make no further comment.

'We are dealing with the situation at the moment,” says Yuriy.

'It has sailed from Tauranga, and that is about all I can tell you.

'We will provide updates later on in due course. Not today.”

The Marine Traffic website shows the Port of Tauranga tugs Sir Robert and Te Matua stopped, in port.

Port of Tauranga officials could not be contacted.