UPDATED: 5.20pm. The Rena bridge section has arrived in harbour on the RMG1000 barge.

The first section of the Rena's sunken stern was towed in, more than two years after the ship struck the Astrolabe Reef.

The Rena bridge section.

The 350 tonne section is part of the accommodation or ‘house' block in the aft section of the 236 metre ship that sunk at the reef, about 25km off the coast of Tauranga, when it broke apart in early 2012. The ship struck on the reef on October 5, 2011.

Attempts to lift the 350 tonne piece were struck with complications last week with salvors Resolve Salvage and Fire forced to lower the piece back to the sea floor after it was towed beneath the lifting barge to the eastern side of Motiti Island.

The deck barge RMG 1000 with the accommodation block section on board is expected in port later today. The Crane barge RMG 250 was towed into port about middday.

The deck barge is to be moored on the western side of the harbour south of the Sulphur Point wharf, between the wharf and Sanfords.

Harbourmaster Jennifer Roberts advises all boaties to stay clear of Sulphur Point wharf with the RMG 1000 barge temporarily anchored on cable due south of the wharf from this evening.

The temporary anchorage will allow salvors to cut the section of the accommodation block into smaller pieces for sending ashore.

'The barge will be moored with multiple anchors and wires, with two additional wire ropes to the shore,” says Jennifer.

'Each anchor will be marked with a large orange buoy, lit at night with a blue strobe.

'The wires will be marked with floating line that has orange floats and blue strobe lights fitted at 20m intervals.”






The RMG 1000 lifting the bridge section of the Rena.

The RMG 250 makes it way into the Tauranga Harbour today.