Rena separated into 2 pieces after being battered by 6m waves the previous night. Image credit: Maritime New Zealand
M/V Rena Breaks in Two
A container ship that ran aground off New Zealand’s North Island three months ago, snapped in half Sunday, January 8, 2012 – spilling more cargo and debris into the Bay of Plenty.
In the early morning of Wednesday October 5, 2011, the 775-foot (236m) M/V Rena ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef, 12 nautical miles (22k) off the coast of Tauranga, NZ. The vessel was carrying 1,700 tons of fuel in addition to 1,368 containers: a combination of 20 and 40-footers (6 and 12 meters) stowed both above and below deck; including 11 identified as having dangerous or hazardous contents.
Maritime New Zealand’s (MNZ) Marine Incident Response Team and Marine Pollution Response Team mobilized immediately, but critical equipment and support vessels for the salvage – the obligation of the shipping company – were slower to arrive.
Operations were fraught with foul weather, dangers inherent with the shifting vessel and cargo, and more recently – a gas leak; but more than 1,100 tons of fuel were removed from the ship. Even so, the region saw a flood of oil onto popular Tauranga beaches, and thousands of birds and untold sea life were killed.
Long-term Crusade
A salvor being lowered onto Rena to begin container removal. Image credit: Maritime New Zealand
Salvage effects have been ongoing since the October incident. As recently as Friday Jan. 6, workers removed another 17 containers, bringing the total to 389. But the onset of foul weather forced them to halt operations.
That storm brought high wind and massive seas of 22 feet (7 meters) which tore the vessel in half – thrusting the pieces nearly 100 feet (20 to 30 meter) apart.
David Billington, a manager for MNZ, reported, “While the two sections of the Rena currently remain on the reef, there’s no question the ship is badly damaged with the severe movement breaking off many of the hatch covers and releasing containers from the holds. Salvors are now working to assess the state of the vessel so that naval architects can undertake further calculations get gain a clearer picture of its ongoing stability.”
As the boat wrenched in two over the weekend, roughly 200 to 300 additional containers (an estimate hampered by poor conditions and visibility) were lost overboard. Other containers were saved – lashed to the bow – while still others were fitted with transponders, for easier tracking at sea. A safety perimeter surrounds the shipwreck, as the Bay of Plenty becomes a minefield of floating, sunk or partially submerged containers, timbers and debris, glazed with a sheen of oil. A small armada of vessels stands at the ready to troll and retrieve the flotsam, as soon as the storm abates – although this is not expected for another three or four days.
Meanwhile the captain and senior officers of the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned vessel were arrested and charged with offenses related to the incident. The Astrolabe reef is well charted and conditions reported to be fair, the night of the accident.
“100% Pure”
Still, proud New Zealanders are left to wonder how this could happen, as they watch their advertising slogan – “NZ 100% Pure – get soiled by the nation’s worst maritime accident in history.
“A belief that there has been a failure to protect the public can create a perception of increased, uncontrolled risk and threat to personal and economic security, as what was perceived to be safe and controlled is revealed not to be so,” said Professor Sarb Joha, of Massey University, in a recent study about the spill and its aftermath.
Saying the oil spill has eroded trust, in addition to the environment and economy, Joha added, “Restoring perceptions of tourists and locals that the beaches, water and seafood are safe will be ‘pivotal’ in ensuring the renewal of the region’s traditional economy, in which the sea is such a crucial resource.
Thousands of Birds Dead
An estimated 20,000 birds died in the early days of the wreckage, while a rehabilitation center was set up to care for rescued seabirds and other marine life. Massey University workers and volunteers cared for more than 400 birds, including little blue penguins, dotterels, shags, petrel, gannet and shearwater. Responders from seven nations have worked tirelessly at the center, with recovery coordinated by Massey University. Wildlife organizations have called the cooperative efforts, of various nations and agencies, paid workers and volunteers, “fantastic.”
And by early November, helpers were returning empty-handed, from forays to find oiled or injured wildlife; it was hoped this aspect of the accident was over.
After Sunday’s incident however, volunteers and workers are again standing by to clean beaches and receive oiled wildlife, as pollutants are expected to reach the shore midnight tonight.
