The amount of oil washing up on Bay of Plenty beaches is set to increase five fold from tomorrow making it 'New Zealand's most significant maritime environmental disaster.”
Speaking at a press conference at Tauranga Boys' College this afternoon Environment Minister Nick Smith confirmed the spill as the country's biggest maritime environmental disaster and says the clean up is going to take weeks, if not months.
Maritime NZ Salvage Unit Manager Bruce Anderson, Environment Minister Nick Smith, Transport Minister Steven Joyce and National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn at the press conference at Tauranga Boys' College this afternoon.
'The oil we are seeing on the beaches in the first few days is going to get significantly worse.
'The clean up is not going to be a sprint but a marathon as we deal with this over the coming weeks.”
Between 200 and 300 tonnes of oil has already leaked from the ship, some of which has washed up on beaches stretching from Mount Maunganui to Papamoa.
Maritime New Zealand confirmed oil has been found on Matakana Island and Waihi Beach this afternoon.
'What we have seen in the first few days is going to get significantly worse."
Nick says there will be significant oil coming ashore from tomorrow onwards and this will be a daily occurrence lasting for weeks, if not months.
Minister of Transport Steven Joyce says the Government is committed to dealing with the clean up and promised that beaches would be returned to normal.
'The Government is completely committed to getting this oil cleaned up and we will need everyone's help with that.”
'Be assured that the people responsible will be held to account.”
More than 1000 people have volunteered to help with the clean up but authorities would like anyone wanting to volunteer to go through the proper channels, as the oil is toxic and needs to be disposed of properly.
Twenty teams will be out on Western Bay of Plenty beaches tomorrow carrying out a shoreline clean up.
Steven says the use of the dispersant Corexit is approved for the purpose by the Environmental Protection Agency.
When he was asked why it is still being used in New Zealand when it has not been in use in the UK for 13 years, the Minister repeated that it is on the advice of the EPA that Corexit is being used.
'Yes it does have some less than ideal factors but compared with the damage caused by the heavy oil it is the best tool that we have got,” says Steven.
12 comments
Just get on with it
Posted on 11-10-2011 17:54 | By jimmi
Most of us practible people, knew this was going to happen last Wednesday, its not news anyone wants to hear, but now it has, so cut the bueracratic bull s**t, and get on with it, while the procrastinators will never be able to save face, they may be able to save more pain, by getting the clean up done smartly, I will believe it when the beaches are back as they were, before Christmas (which one though)
R(ace) U N(uts)!!!
Posted on 11-10-2011 18:10 | By waitandwatch
what has it come to. when we get to the bottom of this i can only say My o My!! wake me up before u go.
Well
Posted on 11-10-2011 18:41 | By Capt_Kaveman
this happens when you have lots of time to act and do nothing i blame the Govt mainly for not acting on getting this oil off while the weather was good but all he did was fly over to have a look Mr Key your a dick = no votes from here
VOTE GREEN
Posted on 11-10-2011 19:22 | By Openknee8ted
Easy
AMOUNT OF OILL ON THE BEACH
Posted on 11-10-2011 20:08 | By YOGI
Is a direct and absolute statement of the competence of the handling of this disaster from start to finish.
WHERE WAS EVERYONE
Posted on 11-10-2011 20:13 | By PLONKER
I saw the CEO of Tauranga Port and a raft of friendly associates get on the plane and head off to Welligton on Saturday, let me see I wonder where they went .... perhaps a couple a rugby games? Must be becasue there was nothing important at all to think about here in Taurnaga.
Certainly don't vote Green
Posted on 11-10-2011 20:18 | By JSmithington
This disaster has nothing to do with offshore welldrilling that the Greens seem to be trying to link it to. I'm sure we'll soon find out the reason for it. Meantime we've got to deal with the consequences. Maybe things should have happened more quickly, but rather unfair to blame the govt. Only vote Green if you're prepared to give up using oil for travel, but happy to see your MPs still travelling. After all, everyone is equal but some are more equal than others.
Good Captain
Posted on 11-10-2011 20:38 | By R1Squid
Should go down with his ship. Guess that is why all have been evacuated.
Will break up sooner than later IMO
Posted on 11-10-2011 21:38 | By skiwi
If the heavily laden Rena is laying supported on the reef just fwd of midships and also at the bow, the constant movement of the unsupported stern due the 3m+ swell overnight will likely fatigue and break the ship in half, possibly even tonight. I'm guessing the signs of fatigue are already apparent and that's why crew were hastily taken off today. I imagine the stern half will roll over and sink - some containers may well break off and some could float below the surface, possibly toward the reef at at southern end of Mototi Is. dependent on wind and current/tide. Too bad the Awanuia did not get down here last Thursday to get the fuel off during the window of fine weather. A dam shame IMO
Show us the captain
Posted on 11-10-2011 21:44 | By sanp
I would like to see who the captain is. Who was in charge and created this mess. Is he even still in the country? Show us who was in charge. Let them front the media and talk. We the people who are now about to have to clean up this mess of his creation deserve him to have the decency to front. It's not OK to hide behind marketing company's and salvor's. It's not OK for us to sit back and say it will come out in a future investigation. We should have the right to see the captains statement now. He has just ruined our coast. With over 80 cruise ships coming here this year unless they now cancel. We deserve the right for answers NOW! This miserable excuse of "the focus should be on the clean up" is not OK we can and should be doing both. Questions should be asked now!
Blame The Captain
Posted on 11-10-2011 21:47 | By HazelH
No one else to blame but him. Not the crew, not the govt, HIM! He's just sitting on his arse (probably in some nice hotel now) watching everyone squabble. If he wants to save any face he should be helping! Totally agree with R1Squid, he should go down with the ship!
OFFICIAL REPORT EX LLOYDS
Posted on 12-10-2011 00:35 | By DRONE
That the ships hull is cracking under the weight, swells and tidial affects and the likely outcome is that it will break up. According to Lloyds there are five ships "casualties" in the last week at one a day, is this a sign of things to come of a worsening financial situaiton. That means unless this lot get the act together ASAP all the fuel and containers will end up in the sea. I wonder how much the RENA is insured for and and more importantly if they will replace her with that money or just happily pocket the wind-fall?
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