The company operating the Covid-19-struck ship Rio De la Plata admits it does not routinely test its crews for the virus.
Eleven of the 21 crew tested positive after arriving at the Port of Tauranga.
It is believed they were infected by a pilot with the Delta strain, who boarded the freighter in Queensland.
After several flip flops from New Zealand government agencies, the ship docked, unloading started, stopped and restarted and then stopped again before more than 70 port workers were eventually forced to isolate and get tested for the virus.
The ship has since departed for Malaysia - abandoning plans to call into Napier to unload and reload cargo - to avoid anchoring offshore until all the crew tested negative.
Maersk contracts the freighter. Its Head of Oceania Market is My Therese Blank, she talks to Lisa Owen.
Update: Since the interview, Maersk has confirmed it was informed on August 3 that the ship had contact with the Australian pilot, who was positive with Covid-19 at the time.
