Firefighters from as far away as Auckland have been called to a container ship on fire at the Port of Tauranga.
Trucks from Rotorua are also helping tackle the flames on a Hong Kong flagged vessel Kokopo Chief.
The 158 metre ship is carrying 650 tonnes of dressed timber.
Fire Service spokesman Jaron Phillips says crews were called to the port just before 1am.
The fire is below the decks of the ship, burning in two holds.
He says shipping containers have been unloaded from the deck of the ship.
No one has been injured in the blaze.
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