The National Ports Authority (NPA) has called for tenders for some of its unused facilities in the harbour.

It also intends to call for tenders for some of the recreation club premises when the various leases expire, which has some of the sporting bodies up in arms.

All of this is part of a move by the authority's head office to get market-related rentals for facilities in harbour areas, ports spokesman Terry Taylor said.

The five properties put out to tender to be used for "purposes associated with port-related activities" include the former SAS Port Rex naval station; the old naval boathouse, oil store and slipway; the old dredging service complex on the East Bank; the land adjacent to the black oil tank site on the West Bank; and the old log storage area behind the grain elevator.

Taylor said the facilities were on land that was considered prime to anyone doing anything that involved shipping.

The spirit in which the tender process would operate would make it "highly unlikely" that a company or a group successfully out-tenders the existing tenant.