Fresh oil from the Rena wreck is expected to come ashore in areas east of Maketu this afternoon.

Maritime New Zealand reports current trajectory modelling shows oil is most likely to come ashore in areas in the eastern Bay of Plenty today.

An oil spill response worker sets up booms in Maketu in anticipation of fresh oil. Photo: MNZ

An overflight of the vessel this morning shows there is no significant change in the condition of the ship, which now sits in two pieces with the stern submerged up to 75 per cent.

MNZ reports a 4km sheen of oil can be seen stretching north east from the ship at Astrolabe Reef, where it ran aground on October 5.

More oil was released from the vessel when the ship broke in two pieces during a storm last weekend.

MNZ National On Scene Commander Alex Van Wijngaarden says any oil that does wash ashore will only be small, compared to the estimated 350 tonnes of oil that washed up following a storm on October 11.

Oil response teams are on standby ready to respond to any reports of oil coming ashore today.

On Wednesday booms were deployed in Maketu, Little Waihi and Waitahanui to protect sensitive areas from oil.

Oil response teams are also working around Mount Maunganui, Leisure Island and Matakana Island today.

Divers are on standby ready to assess the condition of the stern section of the vessel as soon as weather allows.

Sea swells of 2.5 to 3m that have continued to prohibit diving operations are expected to ease to 1.5m today.

Container and debris recovery operations are also underway on water and on shore at Waihi Beach and Matakana Island.

Six containers have been removed from Waihi Beach with another 10 between Bowentown and just north of Waihi Beach still to be removed.

Clean up operations on Waihi Beach on Wednesday, after containers, timber, milk powder and other debris washed up on shore. Photo: MNZ

There are still 11 containers to be removed from Matakana Island as soon as possible.

One oiled little blue penguin was discovered on the beach on Wednesday taking the total number of oiled penguins at the Wildlife Centre in Te Maunga to six.

There are 22 little blue penguins, two fluttering shearwaters and one dotterel in care at Massey University in Palmerston North, where they were taken when the Te Maunga facility was wound down.

These birds will be released back into the Bay of Plenty when their habitats are ready for their return.