The shipwreck on Astrolabe Reef is an unfolding massive ecological disaster on a scale never seen in this country, according to a source inside the operation.

The person, who we will call 'Jim” is involved in the container ship Rena salvage.

Rena has been stuck fast to Astrolabe Reef since 2.20am Wednesday - leaking oil since.

He called to speak out to SunLive exclusively and anonymously, out of 'sheer frustration”. We have agreed not to identify him.

He trusts Sun Media to put the story straight and get facts to the public that have for unknown reasons been withheld and downplayed.

'I know you guys from The Sun and Waterline Magazine and trust you can get the message out there.”

Jim says many others, including high ranking officers of several organisations involved, share his frustrations, but are afraid to speak out or have been gagged.

He says it is 'complete rubbish” that containment systems could not have been in place from day one of the incident.

'They could have had booms in place for containment and been skimming the oil since three days ago.

'The public is being placated with sugar-coated gobbledegook.”

He says many involved in the operation believe Maritime New Zealand is mainly run by 'a bunch of doddery old poms” incapable of making a decision.

'They're just sitting on their hands waiting for something to happen.”

Jim claims the official line – that weather and unsuitability of available booms prevented their use – is nonsense. The conditions could not have been more favourable.

The weather for first few days of the incident provided an opportunity for decisive action.

Jim says it is obvious even from vessels observing from outside the 1km restriction zone that there's a greater flow of oil from the damaged ship at low tide, due to differential pressure.

He believes it is only a matter of time before the ship breaks up.

'I'll bet my last dollar that ship is not coming off whole. There's only one way it's coming off that reef… in pieces.

'It's got a slight hog in it,” he says, referring to the banana shape bending, whereby the bow and stern have dropped. The mid sections are held up by the 'point loading” on the reef. The wracking and twisting continues with each tide.

SunLive's research into the topography of the reef and our discussions with experienced divers who know the reef, suggest that the stern of Rena is hanging over about 50-60m of water depth, while the touch down point on the reef appears about 50m f'ard.

Jim says the shipping company MSC is well known within the industry for its involvement with older ships with the corrosion you'd expect on vessels of this age.

The ship is wracking with the sea movement and this will only accelerate with worsening weather and swell, forecast to be three metres by Wednesday.

People have observed the containers stacked seven high on the aft deck are moving about a metre and they look likely to fall off soon.

The changing weather will also cause the oil slick to change direction, heading to the coastline with the wind.

'It's on the surface and the forecast is for nor-easters.

'That slick will be moving with the wind.”

There's 100 tonnes unaccounted for, either spilled or contained within the damaged double bottoms of the ship.

When the HFO reaches the coastline and rocks, it partially evaporates off, leaving a hard coating that will have to be 'knocked off with chisels and hammers.”

The HFO is not the only pollution concern.

The ship carries a large quantity of diesel for generators.

Also hydraulic fluid for winches machinery, pumps, and bow thrusters. This is thought to have been the source of the first slick reported on Wednesday.

Jim says people don't realise the huge effect the disaster is going to have.

'It will affect everyone in the Bay of Plenty. Particularly iwi and anyone in the marine industry and tourism.

'There's only one word to describe it. Sadness.”