Two Rena fuel tanks empty

Two of the five fuel tanks on board the Rena are now empty and pumping is continuing from tanks in the engine room.

Salvalge Unit manager Kenny Crawford says the 25-tonne port service tank had been emptied and almost all of the 770 tonnes from the port number five tanks had been removed, as of 7pm last night.

The new oil hose being prepared for pumping on board the Go Canopus. This is the hose that can enable direct pumping from the settling tanks and service tank. Photo: Maritime New Zealand.

More than half of the oil from one of the two settling tanks in the engine room has been pumped into the barge Awanuia, bringing the total oil removed from the Rena to 882 tonnes.

Kenny says emptying two of the tanks is a significant milestone, given the state of the Rena.

'Almost 900 tonnes of oil has been removed now and hopefully by the end of today the salvors will have emptied the two settling tanks as well.

'The salvors are also making good progress on accessing the starboard number five tank, which is under water. The divers have created the first half of the coffer dam that will seal off the entrance to the tank, and are now working on the second half. Once this is done, they can begin pumping out the water and opening the hatch. It's hard, difficult and dangerous work for the divers who are working in oily water with little light.”

National On Scene commander Nick Quinn says while the Main Mt Manganui Beach down to Tay St would remain open this weekend, other local beaches would remain closed for the time being, as old oil continues to remobilise in the environment and come ashore, where it would be cleaned up.

Maritime New Zealand says the grounding of the container ship Schelde Trader has no impact on the Rena operation.

The ship run aground yesterday morning, when it lost power while leaving the Tauranga Harbour.

It has now been towed back into the harbour with no reports of injuries, serious damage or oil leaks.

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