There are eight fewer containers onboard the Rena wreck at Astrolabe Reef for salvors to handle after this many washed overboard during last week's storm.

Maritime New Zealand today confirmed eight containers were washed overboard during the storm last Wednesday.

A container found floating following the storm. Photo: LOC.

One of these containers floated and has since been recovered by container recovery contractor Braemar Howells, while the seven others are presumed to have sunk at the reef.

The container that floated did so for a time, but eventually sunk in 20m of water – it had a buoy attached.

In total, salvors have recovered and processed 649 containers. Of these, 74 were recovered from the sea or shoreline and 575 were removed from the wreck.

Braemar Howells has also identified 43 containers away from the wreck, but is yet to recover them.

The Svitzer salvors working onboard the wreck have adjusted their focus as they survey the damage caused by the storm instead of continuing with container removal operations.

They are working from the Smit Borneo crane barge which is secured to the starboard side of the wreck.

The storm also drew cargo debris into the sea with Braemar Howells reporting it has cleaned up waste from Tuapiro Point near Katikati and from Waihi Beach.

Also, with help from Envirowaste, it removed about two trailer-loads of plywood and fibre-boards from Onemana Bay north of Whangamata.

Vessels were also sent to Motiti Island to recover debris from predominantly the northern tip of the island.

The vessels also continued work following the debris trail collecting what they could prior to it reaching the shore.

It is expected that the clean-up of Motiti Island – of mainly packaged milk powder and timber – following last week's storm, will be completed over the next day or two.
The storm saw small amounts of oil wash ashore from Mount Maunganui down to Maketu Spit.

MNZ reports these oil deposits have been cleaned up.

An observation flight on Saturday spotted a light sheen of oil continuing to come from the wreck, but offshore wind conditions are expected to carry this further out to sea.