Salvors remain on board the stranded ship Rena today as they work on transferring oil from the submerged starboard tank.

A team of three salvors remained on board overnight to keep the systems running.

Maritime New Zealand is reporting 25 knot winds with a slight swell around the vessel, grounded on Astrolabe Reef, as the rest of the team return to the ship this morning.

Salvage divers resurface after inspecting the buckling on the Starboard side of Rena yesterday. Photo: Maritime New Zealand

MNZ salvage unit manager Bruce Anderson says 22 salvors were on board Rena yesterday.

Bruce says divers continued to work on re-establishing the dive station, so a team could recommence work on accessing the 358 tonnes of oil in the submerged five starboard tank.

'In tandem with this, work was also progressing on a 'hot tapping' technique to transfer the oil from the starboard tank. Hot tapping is a method of penetrating an oil tank underwater in a manner that does not release oil.”

MNZ assistant national on scene commander Andrew Berry says the oil spill response team is continuing to assess, clean and re-clean the oiled beaches.

'The team is also continuing to ensure readiness for a further significant release of oil from the ship.”