As Port Taranaki's new $12 millon tug boat arrived on Tuesday its skipper performed a sea burnout for the crowd.

Tugmaster Mark Bamford, who led a six-strong Port Taranaki marine team that crewed Kīnaki from Lyttelton Port, said he wanted to give the 100 people watching its arrival a show.

"Being a modern vessel she is very powerful and a lot more responsive, so she can go sideways very quickly," he said.

"It was nice to have a great welcome home. Most of the guys had family on the breakwater too, which made it special."

﻿Before reaching the breakwater Kīnaki was given a water salute by the port's two current tugs, Rupe and Tuakana.

READ MORE: New $12m Taranaki tugboat is chug-chugging along in Turkey

Kīnaki took three years to build in Turkey before it was loaded onto the heavy lift vessel MV Fairpartner at the end of March and shipped out to Lyttelton Port, where it has been since last month.

Sam Scannell The Kīnaki took three years to build.

The crew from Port Taranaki left the Christchurch port at 3am on Monday and enjoyed a relatively smooth trip up the east coast of the South Island, through Cook Strait, and along the North Island's west coast, Bamford said.

"We had a wind change that gave us a southerly all the way up, which kept us to time.

"There was a bit of swell from the west, this side of the strait, but otherwise it was a pretty comfortable trip.

"We were very pleased with how she handled. The principles of driving the tug are the same, but the modern equipment means she has greater power and better handling. It's terrific and very exciting times to have a state-of-the-art vessel as part of our fleet."

SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF About 100 people were positioned on the lee breakwater at Port Taranaki watching the tug arrive.

The state of the art tug was designed to withstand the rugged west coast sea conditions and will be in service within the next week or two.

Port chief executive Guy Roper said it was great to see the vessel, which is 25 metres long has Caterpillar engines, Rolls-Royce propellers and an electric towing winch by DMT, in Taranaki waters.

"There will be some familiarisation for the tug masters and crew before she gets into service – getting up to speed with the tug's features, equipment and increased power," he said.

SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF The $12m was built in Turkey and shipped to Lyttelton before being crewed to New Plymouth.

​Kīnaki has a bollard pull in excess of 60 tonnes, which is now the industry norm as vessels get larger. She replaces the 47-year-old Kupe, the oldest of Port Taranaki's tugs, which has a bollard pull of just 28 tonnes, Roper said.

An official naming and blessing ceremony with Ngāti Te Whiti hapu, who were involved in the naming process, will be held at a later date.

Kīnaki is the name one of two mouri or stones situated within the breakwater of Port Taranaki, situated near Blyde Wharf.

"A mouri is the material symbol of a life principle and source of emotions," cultural advisor Shane Cassidy has said previously.

Kīnaki is of great significance to Ngāti Te Whiti and was historically the centre of ceremonies, including the departure of large fishing expeditions and catch landings, Cassidy said.

"It protects the boats that come into the port, as the tug does. To the hapu the mouri signifies and complements mana, strength, resoluteness and honesty – attributes we feel align well with the design and nature of work for the new tug."