Rena fuel pumping continues

Salvors are on board Rena and are working on speeding up the flow rate in a bid to get more fuel off the stranded ship.

Maritime New Zealand says the salvage team confirmed on Friday that a total of 171 tonnes of the 772 tonnes in the port number five tank has been pumped off.

Around 171 tonnes has been recovered off Rena through fuel recovery operations. Photo: Maritime New Zealand.

MNZ salvage operations unit manager Bruce Anderson says the conditions remained safe for salvors to remain on the vessel and they had maintained a continuous flow of fuel pumping through the night.

'The flow is still slow but at least we are seeing a continuous pumping operation. This was the first priority for the team and that has been maintained.”
Bruce says the weather forecast for the long weekend is for good weather.

National on scene commander Alex van Wijnigaarden says there have been no significant leaks of fresh oil from the ship since October 11.

'This means the oil we are seeing on the coastline is remobilised – or oil that has washed out and back again with the tide.

'The oil spill response team is continuing to monitor and map the progress of the oil, while clean-up teams are out on the beaches cleaning and re-cleaning.

Alex says oiled debris is coming ashore at natural collection points along the Eastern Bay of Plenty coastline.

'Wildlife teams are in the field out on the East Cape. A total of 285 live birds are being cared for at the Wildlife Response Centre in Te Maunga.

'Long term enclosures are being built for the little blue penguins at the centre. These will eventually house clean birds until it's safe to release them into the wild.”

Mount Maunganui Beach from the base track through to Tay Street is now open to the public, but people are being reminded to use caution when heading to the beach.

'While the beach has been cleaned and re-cleaned, there is still residual oil in the environment and the water. Please use caution and follow advice from public heatlh authorities.”

Further information is available at www.toiteorapublichealth.govt.nz/renapublic

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5 comments

grateful but,,,,

Posted on 22-10-2011 12:36 | By kiwisan

Surely there must be better systems available somewhere in our world to pump this stuff off reliably at a faster rate.We have the best salvage people in the world but do they really have the state of the art equipment to do the job?? Assuming not all ships that require fuel removal have operational ship sited pumps and that the fuel has cooled.In fact would this not be quite common? I am not belittling anyones efforts or intentions...just want to know if this is the best that can be presently achieved by man in 2011.


Untitled

Posted on 22-10-2011 13:16 | By Ross01

Kiwisan If you can think of a way to heat oil in a wreck with disabled engines 12kms offshore , I'm damn sure the salvors would love to hear frpm you


Uhh?

Posted on 22-10-2011 13:57 | By tibs

Would they be the best salvors in the world if they didn't use great gear? Very few ships have pumps able to remove their own oil. Most oil removal in cases as you suggest would be done alongside a wharf and then many more facilities become available. Why would it be quite common?


Oil

Posted on 22-10-2011 14:01 | By Lois

I would like to know if it takes 3 weeks to get the oil OFF the Awanuia when the job is done here with the Rena.Surely there must be a quicker way than what we are seeing.


ammendment..tibs

Posted on 22-10-2011 14:29 | By kiwisan

Talking about wrecked/disabled ships that need fuel removed. Just posing a question.


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