The Smit Borneo crane barge is alongside the Rena wreck at the Astrolabe Reef with salvors hoping to start container removal from the bow section today.

Maritime New Zealand reports there are 366-401 containers in the bow section, which is still sitting upright on the reef.

There are about 100 containers viewable above deck on the Rena wreck's bow section. Photo: MNZ.

The stern section is mostly submerged and is resting at a 27 degree angle on the reef and MNZ is unable to estimate how many containers remain inside it.

When the 236m container ship ran aground on the reef on October 5 it had 1368 containers on it.

There were 547 containers stored above deck and 821 containers below deck. There were 121 containers carrying foodstuffs and 32 containers carrying dangerous goods.

The first containers to come off the ship fell into the water during a storm in the week following the grounding.

In total, MNZ reports 98 containers were lost overboard before January 8 – when the ship separated into two sections about 20-30m apart.

A further 150 containers fell into the water during the January 8 separation.

Svitzer's container removal operation began on November 16 following the completion of most of the heavy fuel oil removal work.

The Smit Borneo crane barge not only lifts containers off the Rena wreck, but serves as an operational base for divers and is where the Svitzer salvors are housed.

From November 16 until January 8, the salvage company lifted 397 containers from the vessel.

In total, MNZ figures confirm 645 containers are off the Rena and accounted for.

With 366-401 containers believed to be in the bow section of the wreck, there are about 350 containers either in the submerged stern section or lost at sea.

MNZ expects many of the containers lost at sea are sunken close to the Rena wreck as they were unlikely to float.

Svitzer is expected to attempt the recovery of all containers.

There is good weather at the Astrolabe Reef today enabling the salvors to continue their work including the completion of dive assessments of the stern section.

This information will help with planning of how to remove the wreck.