13:14:46 Thursday 10 April 2025

Container removal, slow and steady

Container removal from Rena, the stricken container ship, continued today with four containers removed this morning.

SunLive photographer Bruce Barnard went out on the HMNZS Pukaki to get a close-up view of operations.


Salvors are undertaking the difficult task of individually lifting containers off the Rena, grounded on the Astrolabe Reef since October 5.

Four containers were removed from the stern of the ship onto the barge Sea Two 60 between 10am and 1pm.

Maritime New Zealand salvage unit manager Kenny Crawford says the removal process is time consuming.

'The removal process will take time, as – for safety reasons – each container needs to be lifted separately.

'Each will also present its own challenges, depending on its position on the vessel and how badly damaged it is.”

The container removal operation commenced on Wednesday with 10 containers removed by midday today, leaving 1270 containers still onboard the ship.

The photos below were taken by SunLive photographer Bruce Barnard on a Maritime New Zealand organised media trip to the Rena aboard the HMNZS Pukaki.


Click here to view more photos from this event

5 comments

Posted on 17-11-2011 16:24 | By whatsinaname

gosh looking at those pictures they are very very brave men. Hope all goes to plan and take your time,


Good Going

Posted on 17-11-2011 16:57 | By Muz061

Hey, 10 containers in 1.5 days that's OK given we were told 6 containers per day. The principle of underpromise and overdeliver may be at work here! Never did expect Tga Container Terminal's world-beating 30+ per hour!


im Glad

Posted on 17-11-2011 20:38 | By Capt_Kaveman

it has just started 4 in 3 hrs = 1.33/hr x 13 hrs day light = 17.33 / day (1270) = 74days this is what id like to see rotating shifts all day and night and this will be over in 6-7weeks this crane should be lifting off onto waiting barges none stop sounds like this is run by a pack of englishman stopping to have tea for most of the day chatting what to do next,sorry i dont feel for anyone here but pay they must for the job at hand and for them to stopp thinking its a hobby job in a gararge


I'd be glad..

Posted on 17-11-2011 23:23 | By tibs

To recommend Capt_Kaveman for a trip in the swinging basket. Did you see it on yesterday's news? Had you considered that the positioning system on the Go Canopus would keep it spot on, just where the crane operator wanted it whereas it would be a case of continual tug work for a barge. Also when bringing containers to port I figure she'd be faster than a tug n barge. I say well down to the salvors. With people like Captain-Kaveman around, I don't blame them for under promising and then hoping to ramp things up and over deliver.


Capt_Kaveman

Posted on 18-11-2011 06:51 | By justice

You sure as hell wouldn't have the balls to get out there! Rather sit at your desk and moan about how everyone else carries out their jobs eh!


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