A bigger barge with bigger cranes is expected to arrive in the Bay of Plenty in early December to assist with salvage of the Rena's container cargo, says Associate Transport Minister Nathan Guy.
The Smit Borneo is 110m by 32m and has onboard a pedestal crane, a large secondary tracked crane, and its own accommodation.
This barge, the Smit Borneo, is en route to assist in the unloading of containers from Rena – grounded on the Astrolabe Reef since October 5.
The multi purpose barge is en route from Singapore under tow.
Meanwhile, salvors onboard Rena at Astrolabe Reef are continuing to pump the remaining pocket of heavy fuel oil from he ship's starboard five wing tank.
An air pocket issue that stopped pumping fuel for about 24 hours resolved itself last night and has not yet reappeared.
As at 2.45pm, 54 tonnes had been pumped out from a tank containing an estimated 358 tonnes of heavy fuel oil – about the same amount that washed onto Western Bay beaches in mid October and is still being cleaned up.
Maritime New Zealand salvage consultant Jon Walker says the pumping rate is about 2.5 tonnes per hour, meaning that the last of the Rena's fuel could be removed in about a week – if there are no further pumping issues and the weather holds.
Pumping resumed after an additional pump was installed on the line, says Jon.
'What they are trying to do now is increase the flow into this particular pump. They might put another hot tap into the tank or additional pumps online.”
A hot tap is a way of drilling into a tank without losing the contents.
Now that pumping is resumed, they are not intending to stop, says Jon.
The remaining 20 tonnes of lubrication oil onboard Rena is also being pumped off the ship into deck tanks onboard the tug Go Canopus.
While salvors are preparing to remove the Rena's containers, they will not be starting until the fuel oil and lubrication oil transfers from the wreck have been completed.
MNZ national on scene commander Rob Service says it's been three weeks since there was any significant discharge of oil from Rena.
They are continuing to find oil resurfacing on the ocean beach from Mount Maunganui to Maketu.
On Wednesday there were 123 volunteers working with the sand/surf washing trails at Papamoa.
It is a technique where contaminated sand is dropped by digger into the surf and the oil collected.
Patrols on Wednesday night found five oiled little blue penguins, which have joined the population at the oiled wild life centre. There are now 407 birds under care.
15 comments
ANOTHER BARGE
Posted on 10-11-2011 18:04 | By WOMBLE
Now we have two ... and still no containers moving other than by order of Mother Nature!
Forward thinking
Posted on 11-11-2011 05:28 | By jimmi
At last someone is getting prepared for possibly the next disaster, it cannot be this one surely!!!!
Posted on 11-11-2011 09:13 | By whatsinaname
Womble. Do you no how heavy and big these containers are????????????????
Stop ya Moaning
Posted on 11-11-2011 12:19 | By Donnaw
I think that everything is being possibly done to get this whole saga sorted, although it did take a while to get started, and its going to take a long while yet. No one has had any appreciation for what these men are acheiving out there on that ship in a very dangerous situation, everyone just moans and thinks they have a better way of doing it. We're not talking about a few containers here people....there are hundreds! It makes me mad that we wer'nt prepared for this, but its happened, so instead of sitting there hacking every move down, how bout some support for whats being done now....theres only two people to blame for this mess and its not the people out there tring to rectify it.
Posted on 11-11-2011 13:31 | By whatsinaname
I think every one should be gratefull that it didnt sink when it hit the reef and lost all fuel and oil Also NO lives were lost in the accident. Yeah a bit of oil spilled and washed up on the beaches BUT it could of been worse. So STOP blaming people and let them do wat they can to fix it. Its not as simple as people think.........
SECOND BARGE
Posted on 11-11-2011 15:41 | By DRONE
So with another bigger one coming does that mean that the first one is to small and no use for anything? If so why even bother shifting it here, running sea trials and weeks later look for another? Yeah things are moving at a fantastic pace, almost looks like TCC are involved in running this circus.
full of talk
Posted on 11-11-2011 16:03 | By macca1940
Its all very nice to be sitting at your computer writing all these rivetting lettersall about nothing.I must agree that we seem to have to many people here full of how to do things,the right way & the wrong way.Maybe these people with all the so called knowledge should really be out on the ship doing a bit instead of sitting at home or work doing diddlysquat.don't cry down these very brave people out on the ship in all sorts of danger,alright they are getting paid for it but I for one wouldn't do it for all the money anyway MACCA 1940
oh gosh
Posted on 11-11-2011 17:02 | By blocker
those containers weigh between 2300KGS empty upto 32000KGS atleast . so there is lift problems with boom luff. i have been been involved with salvage and this is going to be a very slow job .i find it intresting why second barge was late call ,im thinking keep weight on reef till oil out .
no Idea
Posted on 12-11-2011 00:11 | By Tane
Wow ... everyone's an expert it seems,as one of the crew members on board ST 60 let me tell you right now...it aint straight forward ,do you expect the crew to lose a life (or limb) trying to hurry this ,take a good look at the photos and picture yourself being lowered onto the Rena and trying to safely disengage the twist locks on the containers ....we are doing our best at the best possible pace...anyone who wants to whinge can apply for a job via the salvors ...be happy to put you up on it eh...
REVELATIONS - TRUTH SEEPS OUT NOW
Posted on 12-11-2011 14:42 | By DRONE
@ TANE, BLOCKER, MACCA. Perhaps you guys should "rethink" your motives on all here, have a look at this website link http://antipodeanmariner.blogspot.com/. Looks like one of you lot are so disgusted with the manner of doing the job they have resorted to speaking out (most excellant) and as a result the so called "arm chair critics" were actually stating the obvious. Appology in order from each of you for aiding and abetting the scam on the taxpayers of NZ!
back at you drone
Posted on 12-11-2011 16:26 | By blocker
yea i know how it goes open cheque book .when doing salvage on jody f mv the aussie salvage made us wait so they could try get there own barges .then to shut up general public put up a couple of helos at 3 grand to fly the odd log or two off ship .
the guess
Posted on 12-11-2011 16:52 | By blocker
cheers tane guess gas torch in safety cage and cut twist locks ..alot of experts but very few with hands on doin the job .
BLOCKER
Posted on 13-11-2011 15:20 | By ANNA KISSED
The Tauranga public have volunteered in thousands to help clean up the mess "at the bottom of the cliff" as it were being the oil and rubbish washed up on the beach and so on. In case you had not realised there is an exclusion zone around the RENA, so how do you propose that anyone but the select few can be there? Based on the information available from Scott on the other pages it would seem that there is every reason to be VERY concerned about what is happening with the Rena job, actually more importantly, what is not happening within suitable timeframes. That Aussie outfit are said to be "good" apparently but with an open tab paid by the Government then like any Government job it tends to run well beyond reason, common sense or reality when the bills start rolling in. Is it the "billing" that is good or getting the job done!
GOTA BE TRICKY
Posted on 13-11-2011 19:02 | By MISS ADVENTURE
Yes the lean on it all will make it hard, but I doubt very much that it is that hard such that only four a day will be removed, that is 1280/4 = 320 days at best, that assumes perfect weather with that to. The longer the bent hulk of the ship sits there, the longer the containers take to be removed the lighter the ship gets and so each storm will do even more damage. What a sorry state of affairs ...
THE 'LEAN' CAN HELP
Posted on 14-11-2011 13:26 | By PLONKER
Just park the barge on the Starboard side and then blow up the holding clamps, they will tumble down the deck and onto the barge = job down. That means only have to knock out the bottom clamp to do that so saves a lot of time. If they are reefers then let em drop into the tide, if not them roll onto the barge.
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