Police in Auckland say they have not yet been able to identify the body pulled from Gulf Harbour.
A post mortem was conducted on Wednesday.
"We have established that the victim is a female and middle-aged," Acting Detective Inspector Tim Williams said.
He could not be more specific about the age, but confirmed "it is not a child".
Police have ruled out that the victim might be Yanfei Bao, who went missing from Christchurch in July.
A brand's emblem on a light-coloured singlet found on the body of a woman found dead in Gulf Harbour on 12 March, 2024. Photo: Supplied / Police
She was wearing blue pyjama bottoms with a pattern on it, and a light-coloured singlet with an emblem.
"She's small in stature. We estimate the height to be around 160cm. We believe she's of Asian descent and our enquiries lead us to believe she's probably Chinese."
Interpol had been contacted in the hope of identifying the woman, Williams said.
A homicide investigation was launched after a fisherman found the body wrapped in plastic bags on Tuesday by the Gulf Harbour ferry terminal.
"It is complex because we don't know who she is. Someone must be missing their mother, sister or grandma," Inspector Williams says.
Police are also asking the public to help identify items of clothing found on the woman's bod
Police say they are treating the crime very seriously, and acknowledge how unsettling it is to the community.
They say they don't believe there is an ongoing risk to the public, but declined to say how the woman had died.
