Maritime New Zealand is welcoming the judge's decision to sentence the Master and Second Officer of the cargo vessel Rena to seven months in jail.

The pair were sentenced on a total of 11 charges laid by MNZ following an investigation into the ship's grounding on Astrolabe Reef on October 5.

The Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef on October 5, 2011. The grounding has been deemed one of the worst maritime disasters in New Zealand history. Photo: Supplied.

MNZ laid six charges against the Master, Mauro Balomaga, and five charges against the Second Officer, Leonil Relon, following the grounding.

MNZ director Keith Manch says the two senior officers, who were responsible for the navigation of the ship, had breached basic principles of safe navigation.

During a lengthy court process on Friday, the Tauranga District Court heard how after a passage plan for the journey from Napier to Tauranga had been prepared and how the Master had given approval for the Second Officer to deviate from the plan to make good time.

Keith says these alterations were not adequately recorded or an amended passage plan developed. Neither were the alterations verified using appropriate navigational methods.

He says dangers to navigation, such as reefs, safe passing distances and adjustments to navigational equipment were not identified and highlighted.

The final alteration to the course of the ship, around 1.35am, put Rena directly on target to hit the Astrolabe Reef.

No further steps were taken to project Rena's position forward along the new course, or estimate where the alteration would take the ship.

MNZ says about 10 minutes before the grounding, the Astrolabe Reef appeared as an echo on Rena's radar.

At this stage, there was sufficient time to make an effective alteration of course and avoid the reef, says Keith.

The Master saw the echo and assumed it was a small vessel – however, after looking for the vessel and not finding it, he dismissed it as a false echo.

When Rena ran aground, at 2.14am, the impact left the bow section stuck fast on the reef, and sheered about 60 metres of keel away from the bow section of the ship, which began taking on water.

Keith says the Master and Second Officer had failed to implement and follow basic principles of passage planning to ensure the safe navigation of the vessel.

'In this case, the Master and the Second Officer have breached the most basic fundamental principles of safe navigation.

'If there is a need to deviate from a prepared passage plan, the alterations must be plotted and the new projected path carefully assessed to ensure all potential navigational hazards are identified.”

He says during the course of the MNZ investigation, both officers admitted making alterations after the grounding to the ship's GPS log, its passage plan and its computer to mislead investigating authorities.

'This offending is also very serious in that it caused genuine confusion for investigators trying to piece together the events that led to the grounding.

'It is vital that when these types of events do take place, we can find out how and why they have happened to help prevent such an event happening again.”

Keith says MNZ welcomed the sentencing, which held the two officers to account for their failures in relation to the incident.

'This grounding has had significant consequences for the Bay of Plenty community and the country as a whole.”
He says Friday's sentencing marks a milestone in the response, which is still underway.

Keith says MNZ was supported in the investigation by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Police and other parties, including the Port of Tauranga, local Iwi and the local community.

In a separate prosecution, MNZ has also laid a charge under the RMA against the owner of Rena, Daina Shipping Co.

The case was today adjourned without plea until July 18.

For more about the Master and Second Officers court appearance read Rena captain, officer: 7 months jail