Rena: call for government action

There is increasing pressure for the government to take charge of the Rena salvage and oil slick clean up at the Astrolabe Reef.

This comes as Transport Minister Steven Joyce heads to Tauranga to front media at a press conference. This is the first central government action in this emergency.


Green Party MP Gareth Hughes.

The ship has leaked oil since it ran aground at the reef at 2.20am on Wednesday, with the oil having claimed the lives of four birds and is filling a slick that is at least 5km long.

The oil is a fuel oil, not the sludgy crude oil, which spewed into the Gulf of Mexico last year when an oil rig failed.

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes is calling for the government to take over the salvage operation of the wrecked Rena, but still use Svitzer, the appointed salvage company.

'What we need is a single point of control. That's what we saw in the Gulf of Mexico. A lack of central control prolonged the crisis there,” he said.

'It's now an issue of serious urgency. We have looming bad weather, potential risk of the ship breaking up and that's why the government needs to step in.”

Svitzer has experts onboard the ship examining how to best resolve the situation.

Spokesman Mathew Watson says a naval architect is arriving from Holland this afternoon to help with the assessment.

'He has a pivotal role because he calculates the situation of the vessel and the various weight scenarios.”

Mathew says it could take a couple of days for equipment from New Zealand, Sydney, and further abroad to land in Tauranga.

'That is quite normal for a salvage operation of this magnitude.”

The operation could take some time as it was a 'steady and meticulous” process.

'It's not something that can happen overnight. There are hundreds of variables that need to be considered and the plan needs to be gradually developed.”

'The priority at the moment is focusing on the fuel and how that can best be dealt with.”

He could not say how the fuel would be drained, but said experts could move the fuel to another location within the vessel or transfer it to a bunker burge.

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14 comments

I agree !

Posted on 07-10-2011 13:27 | By Zara

We should slow it down as much as possible,call in every expert under the sun and let it develop into a major disaster. We will then have something really worthwhile to manage. Then when its all over call for a national enquiry costing millions of dollars to come to the conclusion we should have acted with more haste from the outset and that no one was actually responsible for the shambolic outcome, but we have all learnt lessons from this and will try to do much better next time.


preparatio?? and red tape

Posted on 07-10-2011 13:33 | By traceybjammet

I would have thought that as a major Port Tauranga Council would have had a strategy that was ready to go into action when an accident happens. What is the point of having a council if the call in the Federal government everytime the shit hits the fan???


Takes Time

Posted on 07-10-2011 14:07 | By Jitter

Hmmmmm ! Previous commentators appear to not really understand the situation and what is involved before the salvage work can get under way. I believe that under the circumstances the best is being done at the moment. It takes time to assess the damage, decide what action must be taken and order up the necessary equipment. It is not the responsibility of TCC as it is well out of their juristriction. I don't believe it even comes under the Regional Council umbrella. More like the NZ Marine Department and other related departments who should be liasing with the appointed salvage company and world wide marine disaster experts. I was going to say involve Civil Defence but they are a complete disaster in themselves. The containers themselves are locked in place with twist locks at each corner, so unless the ships list becomes very acute there is very little danger of them falling into the sea. The big worry for all concerned is the approaching bad weather which could turn the situation into a major ecological disaster. So give the experts space to work and let them get on with it.


I agree

Posted on 07-10-2011 16:35 | By antares

Well said 'I agree' it seems to be the way this country does everything.


Council Role

Posted on 07-10-2011 17:03 | By Muz061

If the Tauranga City Council are to be blamed for yet another thing then lets have a go at this too. Let's see, TCC should have sent staff to all maritime safety forums since we are a major NZ seaport. They can become the informed authority on maritime safety in this area, let's send EBOP people as well, and maybe the ratepayers can chip in for the accomodation and travel at least for POT people to go along. Seriously, we are and have to be, in the hands of the experts of maritime safety and just hope their efforts are a bit more professional than the imbecile who stumbled into a well charted reef just a few minutes from entering our harbour. The very real prospect of this ship being torn apart by the next nor'easterly is too horrific for me to want to contemplate at the moment but it's something we may have to get used to. My understanding of the ship's position on Astrolabe will make getting it off extremely difficult. I hope I am wrong.


Early Oily response

Posted on 07-10-2011 17:14 | By ronillian

It seems that private industry is taking most of the responsibility for this salvage. I would have thought , like traceybjammet, that anticipating and planning for events like this would have already been done at NZ's biggest port. The delays in getting any definitive action make me realize that any mishaps in proposed offshore deep sea drilling by Petrobras would be even MORE disastrous and the scale of the disaster even more catastrophic. We could expect the same kinds of delays we see with the Rena as the experts and officials meet, evaluate, consider the problem, discuss, liaise and plan options for salvage, and gathering the resources to do so. By then we have a major environmental catastrophe on our hands. If we value a clean green environment for our recreation, our wildlife and our economy/branding we need to make damned sure that we don't allow deep sea oil drilling ever to go ahead off the east coast here. Whatever happens with this unfolding potential disaster with the Rena, let's learn from this. DON'T ALLOW DEEP SEA DRILLING OFF OUR COAST. It's an election year: tell this National-led govt we reject its endorsement and facilitation of risky offshore oil drilling. And support the Green Party in their position to oppose offshore drilling.


Lack of Info

Posted on 07-10-2011 17:17 | By Muz061

It seems to me that two and a half days after the disaster the media are being starved of information. What possible reason is there for not keeping the people of Tauranga and the WBOP in the dark about the nature of the grounding, early assessments of the underwater damage to the ship, the amount of water leaking into the hold and other relevant details. This could be the worst marine environmental disasters in this beautiful region's history, if not New Zealand's history. I think the media should be jumping up and down for quality information. Two and a half days may not be enough to plan a salvage operation but it should be enough for a basic assessment of the situation. Come on SunLive, ask the tough questions and hold their feet to the fire on this! If they are fobbing you off then tell us and make your accusations public. Or am I overreacting?


Roll on deepsea drilling

Posted on 07-10-2011 17:56 | By AaronC

Obviously we're so capable of cleaning up environmental messes that a Gulf of Mexico style disaster due to oil exploration wont be a problem. After all the National Government has assured us everything will be ok. John Keys smile can mop up any mess.


Planning for disaster

Posted on 07-10-2011 18:03 | By wreck1080

From what I can tell, the authorities are planning on cleaning up an oil spill rather than preventing an oil spill. If prevention were the goal, then they'd have already sucked the fuel from the stranded ships tanks.


Govt intervention should be at minimum?

Posted on 07-10-2011 18:30 | By Chaudog

The last I heard, the NZ Govt had no one with salvage experience in their chambers. Regardless of what political party was in power, the current outcome would be largely the same. All the govt can do is provide financial support in the short term to ensure the salvage operation goes ahead. The last thing we need is the govt meddling with the operation when no ministers are qualified to manage such events. To be fair, there should have been a emergency response plan in place however when you look at the dangers involved (weather, swells, falling containers etc) I doubt sorting this mess out is as easy as reading a step by step guide from a large book as some commentators seem to believe.


photo opportunity missed

Posted on 07-10-2011 19:04 | By claypole

Where's our local 'photo opportunity' MP Bridges because the elections coming up. Oh its not really a good look having this rust bucket on top of a pristine reef as a back drop to my smiling face with the caption, "National, taking care of gods own' and johns not in town (where is he?) And before anyone comments, YES it is the Govts responsibility to clear this mess and not the boats insurance company. Grow some balls and stand up, unless of course your presence is required at the world cup for a better photo opportunity!


stuck boat

Posted on 07-10-2011 19:53 | By 1dumbkof1

Here we have a boat stuck on a reef. As usual all the pointy heads are saying a lot but doing nothing. Surely they should have had oil barriers in Tauranga. What about the fuel barge. Surely that should have been on its way within hours of the stranding. There are several heavy lift helicopters available here. surely they should be in operation lifting offf some of the containers. But as usual nothing will be done until it is too late. Then they will be saying oh mabee we should have done something sooner. They just never seem to learn


monday's forecast

Posted on 07-10-2011 23:11 | By Bangsey

25knt nor easterlies :( uh oh. Im embarrassed . It is obvious our local authorities are ill equipped to deal with this disaster. So they "monitor" " observe" ( 3 days later ) while they wait for experts to arrive from overseas. Surely we should have......as the busiest port in the country......been prepared, with our own expert team ? Its a shame and a disgrace. Lets just hope that this coming rough patch of weather does not cause the Rena to fall apart and spew her foul cargo into our pristine environment. Or we can all kiss our beach summer goodbye :(


level it to the experts

Posted on 08-10-2011 07:26 | By george3118

the last thing we need is our inexperienced government departments getting involved, keep them out of it they have done nothing for the last 3 days and dont have the experience, knowledge or skills to deal with such a situation, even after receiving millions in funding to be perpared for such an event. te salvage team that have finally arrived know what to do and will get it done, the last thing we need is government idiots putting up barriers, just get it done and done quick to save our beautiful coastline.


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