The beach from Mount Maunganui to Tay Street is open after Maritime New Zealand national on scene commander signed off on its cleanliness at 3pm today.

Alex Wjingaarden says this 3km of beach is open and providing no large quantity of oil leaks from Rena or washes up, they will remain so for the holiday weekend.

People are heading back to the beach at Mount Maunganui. Photo: MNZ.

MNZ salvage unit manager Bruce Anderson estimates about 170 tonnes of heavy fuel oil has leaked into the sea from the 236m container ship grounded on the Astrolabe Reef.

This has washed up along beaches from Mount Maunganui to Maketu in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Alex says the ship is not leaking any heavy oil at this stage.

'As of today we have no new oil in the water except for some light sheen on the water near the ship.”

Bruce says the salvors are working around-the-clock and are making steady progress with 171 tonnes of oil pumped out of its tanks and into the storage vessel Awanuia, stationed at its stern.

Environment Minister Nick Smith says this is a good start, but there is a long way to go with about another 1300 tonnes to pump out.

'That's about 15 percent of the oil that needs to be recovered.”

He is keen to see the rate of pumping increased to take advantage of a four day window of good weather which allows for salvors to work around-the-clock.

'The government has urged them to throw everything at that pumping rate.”

Bruce says the booster pump failed again today, after the first one used blew its circuits on Thursday.

Salvors also lost power during pumping today.

They are performing the pumping from custom made platforms constructed on the ship's hull and are using generators stationed there.

The ship is on a 22-23 degree list.

Sea exclusion zone amended

The harbourmaster has reduced the sea exclusion zone around the Rena shipwreck.

The harbourmaster has directed that the area of sea within the following boundaries is closed to unauthorised vessels or persons:

Rabbit Island (Motuotau) at Mount Maunganui in position 37° 37.8'S 176° 11.7'E to

37°28.5'S 176°20'E to

37°28.5'S 176°30'E to

37°38.6'S 176°30'E to

Coast at the Kaituna cut 37°44.8'S 176°24.6'E

The area of the exclusion zone has been reduced because the oil and containers coming from the grounded Rena cargo ship are currently contained, reducing the risk of injury or damage due to navigational safety hazards.

Vessel operators are reminded to keep an active look-out for the response vessels assisting with the Rena situation, and avoid disrupting the operations.