A rainbow sheen of oil measuring about 5km long and 30m wide is emanating from Rena, the container ship grounded on the Astrolabe Reef since October 5.
Maritime New Zealand is also reporting there are some darker patches of oil around the vessel.
Rena photographed on December 9 by LOC.
This oil has leaked as salvors onboard Rena work on improving the vessel's buoyancy as no container removal is possible at this time owing to bad weather.
The salvors are also modifying the crane onboard the Smit Borneo barge to improve its ability to lift containers from the 236m container ship.
No containers were removed on Tuesday and it seems unlikely this operation will resume in the next few days with a severe weather warning in place for the Bay of Plenty.
The weather is forecast to increase to about 20 knots today, and continue increasing until they peak on Thursday at about 30 knots with a 4m swell.
Maritime New Zealand is reporting work to improve the vessel's buoyancy has involved the installation of large steel patches in Rena's internal corridors.
Three patches, weighing about 700kg each, are in place and another three are close to being installed.
1 comment
Why do they do nothing??
Posted on 15-12-2011 10:34 | By Demandthetruth
With the oilspills when they have been offered a proven nontoxic solution that just needs spraying from a helicopter & collecting the floating result. MNZ continue to be in denial as to what to use Since it was lodged on our website http://www.interfacechemistry.co.nz/oil-spills-and-elastol.html there has been many 1000's of hits. Why continue to permit fish & wildlife to be at risk??????????? Product is available in Tauranga & it only takes days to bring more.
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