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Cargo and container information
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What is the latest situation?
Salvage
Container and debris recovery
Oil Spill Response
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Who is responsible for salvage?
The vessel owner is responsible for salvage.
Who is in charge of salvage?
International salvage company Svitzer was appointed as salvor on 6 October. It is a challenging and potentially dangerous job – but the salvage team we have is the best in the world and they have safety as their number one priority. They have shown incredible professionalism and commitment in the face of a very challenging salvage operation.
How much oil is on board Rena?
The vessel had 1,733 tonnes to begin with. Fuel removal began on 9 October, and the bulk of the fuel was removed by 13 November. A further 10 tonnes was removed in late February.
However, there is residual oil on the wreck, in places that are currently inaccessible to the salvors. It is not known exactly how much this is, but is estimated to be "tens" of tonnes.
Why did it take the salvors four days to develop a salvage plan?
The initial team from Svitzer arrived from Australia and boarded Rena on 5 October, less than 24 hours after the vessel grounded. Their first task was to assess the condition of the ship and evaluate what risks it might present.
This assessment is a key aspect to any salvage operation, and must be made carefully and thoroughly, which takes time. If not, it can create a greater risk to the stability of the vessel and those working on board. If action was action on the basis of an incorrect or incomplete assessment, then the gravity of situation could be exacerbated, potentially with catastrophic results.
During the first few days, salvors continued this assessment, and sought and took delivery of specialised equipment from around New Zealand and the world. They also undertook strengthening work to oil tanks to prevent the heavy fuel oil from escaping and developed a “salvage plan” to document this activity as well as prepare for ongoing salvage operations.
The initial salvage plan was provided to MNZ by Svitzer on 8 October – but it was not the trigger that started salvage operations, as a significant amount of work had been underway since the evening of 5 October.
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What did the first few days entail?
Based on the salvage team’s initial assessment, specialised salvage equipment was immediately sought New Zealand and overseas. Additionally, experienced salvors from Svitzer were also mobilised from around the world.
MNZ appointed experts from the company London Offshore Consultants (LOC) to assist with its oversight of the salvage operation. These experts were working on board the Rena by 6 October.
Svitzer’s first priority was the removal of the heavy fuel oil and preparations began on 6 October to achieve this aim.
The bulk of the heavy fuel oil was located in exposed deep wing tanks on either side of the vessel. The pipework for emptying or transferring the contents of these tanks is located in the duct keel – a long ‘tunnel’ or cavity at the bottom of the vessel that runs the length of the ship. Because the vessel had heavily grounded on the reef, its duct keel bore the brunt of the impact, likely damaging the pipework within this space. Oil is known to have leaked into the duct keel.
Consequently, a careful assessment of the pipework to these tanks was essential to avoid the contents of the bulk HFO tanks simply draining out to sea if a mistake was made.
In the meantime, Svitzer’s specialised equipment arrived from Australia on 8 October.
In the event of further deterioration of the vessel, the salvors also fabricated and commenced fitting ‘blanks’ or covers to the oil tanks to seal the oil within the tanks. Salvors also successfully transferred the heavy fuel oil from the damaged no.3 port tank nearer the front of the vessel, rearwards to the no.5 port tank, where it less vulnerable to spillage and would be easier to extract via pumping operations..
A Svitzer naval architect was mobilised to assess the strength and stability of the vessel. This requires careful assessment of the status of the vessel, both externally and internally (eg which spaces within the vessel are breached or otherwise damaged). As the salvage team increased in size on site during these first few days, the information on the vessel obtained was sent back to Svitzer's office in Holland, for additional assessment.
The fuel tanker Awanuia was brought to Tauranga from Auckland and began fuel recovery on 9 October.
Why did it take so long to pump the oil off?
Pumping could only be undertaken when the weather and conditions on board the vessel allowed. The conditions on board the wreck are still dangerous. The bow section is tilting, and the surfaces are in constant motion, making mobility difficult. Many surfaces are oil-covered and slippery to walk on.
If it is ever deemed to be exceedingly dangerous to be on the wreck, the salvors will be evacuated immediately.
The lack of power meant the oil on board could not be heated using an internal steam-fed coil system in the oil tanks. These coils would have kept the oil warm so it flowed more easily. To flow well, the oil should be at about 60 degrees. The oil on Rena was about 14 degrees in some tanks. The result was that the oil had thickened like peanut butter, or gooey tar, and was harder and slower to pump through hoses. The fuel could not be heated – an Archimedes screw pump was inserted into the tank to extract the thick oil.
Why is the salvage operation taking so long?
The salvage response has been moving as quickly as the situation allows. The salvage operation is very complex and the vessel is in a unique situation. The vessel has broken in half with the bow section sitting firmly on the reef and the stern section now effectively underwater.
Movement and noise is coming from the cracks on both sides of the vessel. Sensors on board the vessel are in place to detect any movement of the vessel, and salvors are working on a variety of plans to cover all eventualities.
A shore-side salvage operation has been set up at Tauranga, which is where most of the gear is assembled.
Specialist salvage equipment has been brought from around the country and the world to support the salvage operation being undertaken by Svitzer.
Technical advice and support has been received from Australia, the UK, the Netherlands and Singapore, with offers of assistance and equipment and under international agreements.
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Can MNZ take control of the situation?
Yes, we have the powers to do so.
What is MNZ doing to oversee the salvor?
The Director of Maritime New Zealand issued the ship's owner, agent, master and any salvage operator with a notice under section 248 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994. The Director considers that Rena is a hazardous ship, and she has instructed those responsible for the ship to ensure that MNZ is kept informed of all salvage operations. The Director has the power to issue direct instructions if she deems it necessary.
What is a S248 and what powers does it provide?
A Section 248 notice provides that, if the Director considers a ship is a hazardous ship, the Director can issue instructions or take other actions, in order to avoid, reduce or remedy pollution or a significant risk of pollution. The Director has issued the owner with notices.
The Director's instructions include:
Who is responsible for removing the wreck once the oil is removed?
Removal of the wreck of the Rena is the responsibility of the ship’s owners, Costamare Shipping.
What is MNZ doing to make sure this happens?
The Director has issued a wreck removal notice to the ship’s owners under section 100A of the Maritime Transport Act 1994. This means that the owner must make arrangements to secure and remove the wreck. These arrangements must be made to the Director’s satisfaction.
What happens next?
The owners must develop a plan for removing the wreck and submit it to the Director. Existing plans for container recovery and contingency planning continue to be developed.
What if they don’t make arrangements?
It is an offence to fail to comply with the requirements of the notice.
Does this change the Rena’s current status as a “hazardous ship” or the focus on oil removal?
No. The status of the Rena as a “hazardous ship” has not changed. This hazard is not limited to the threat of pollution from oil.
The requirement for the vessel’s owners to make arrangements for removing the wreck also does not alter the immediate priority of removing all the oil from the vessel or any of the other work that the salvors are currently doing.
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