Heavy fuel oil is continuing to be pumped from the Rena wreck with an estimated 16 tonnes removed from the ship at the weekend.

Salvors working on the ship in two parts at the Astrolabe Reef, are concentrating on removing the fuel remaining in the number five starboard tank in the submerged stern section.

Salvors leaving the wreck site via a purpose built helipad. Photo: LOC

However, with winds gusting between 40 and 50 knots, and sea swells of up to five metres expected in the next three days, Maritime New Zealand reports salvage efforts will be affected.

The Smit Borneo crane barge has moved away from the Rena and is now back in the Port of Tauranga, where it will remain until conditions ease.

Maritime New Zealand national on scene commander Rob Service says further oil removal from the wreck is positive news.

'This has further reduced the threat of more oil spilling into the environment.

'Every drop of oil removed from the wreck is oil that will not go into the sea, so it is great to see this progress.

'This is complex work as the remaining oil is very inaccessible, so it's really good news

Two containers were removed from the number six hold of the wreck and sent ashore for processing during the weekend.

A total of 647 containers are now onshore and accounted for.

This includes 575 containers removed by salvors and 75 recovered from the water and shoreline by environmental specialists Braemar Howells.

No oil spill response clean-up operations were undertaken at the weekend but beach surveys of stretches of beach between Mount Maunganui and Maketu, Waihi Beach and Bowentown were carried out.

Small amounts of debris – mainly pieces of foam from refrigerated containers were recovered.

Today, Braemar workers are attempting to retrieve packs of latex gloves from the shallow waters of Bowentown.

Other planned clean-up activities are weather dependant. Bad weather is forecast for the Bay of Plenty until Thursday.