Oceans and Fisheries Minister David Parker says the Government is considering if "higher levels of compulsion" are needed to ensure port workers get vaccinated.
Parker told The AM Show it was "not OK" only 45 per cent of port workers had been vaccinated.
"You are right though, that the port workers, we would want more to be vaccinated than has been," he said.
"But we are considering if there should be higher levels of compulsion or mandatory vaccinations for some people who are most at work, at the ports.
"The Government's considering if it should be tougher in respect of the people who are most at risk at the ports."
It echoes comments made by Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins yesterday.
He said he was "not even close" to being satisfied with the rate of port worker vaccination.
"The port workers have the highest unvaccinated rate for our border workforce, that is something I am concerned about."
Parker's words come in the wake of two international mariners testing positive for Covid-19 earlier this week.
They arrived in Auckland with nine others on Monday and were transported in a minibus to New Plymouth to board deep sea fishing vessel, Viking Bay.
Three close contacts of the mariners were identified — the minibus driver, a port pilot, and a Customs officer. All are isolating.
News emerged more crew members aboard Viking Bay have come down with Covid-19 symptoms, with the Ports of Auckland offering the vessel quarantine anchorage .
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