MV RENA Update: Salvors Focus on Bow Section

Salvors working on the stricken M/V Rena are focusing primarily on removing containers from the bow section ahead of heavy weather that is forecasted over the next two days, according to an update from Maritime New Zealand.

A salvage team from Svitzer was able to remove one container of paper products from the vessel yesterday and today are installing sliding beams on the bow section so they can move containers overboard so can be recovered by a crane aboard the Smit Borneo.

Meanwhile, workers from the container recovery firm, Braemer Howells, has been able unloaded the dangerous goods containers from the bow section of the vessel.  The containers held empty hydrogen peroxide tanks that officials said “did not pose a major hazard”.

Officials add that plans are in place to remove 25 one-ton bags of garbage–made up mostly of timber and plastic–from Motiti Island next week using a heli-lift and divers are working to cut up two containers which are partly submerged in the Bowentown area.

A morning observation flight on January 26th confirmed a light silver and rainbow oil sheen stretching south of the wreck for approximately 4km with multiple teams of oil spill responders working to assess shoreline clean-up.

Weather in the area is forecasted to deteriorate today with wind rising to 20 knots and swells increasing up to 2m around the wreck. The rough weather is forecast to remain through Saturday.

The 3,351 TEU container ship M/V Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef near Tauranga, New Zealand on October 5th and on January 8th broke in two after being battered by heavy seas and wind.  The vessel is owned by the Greek shipping company Costamare Inc. through one of its subsidiaries, Daina Shipping Co.

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