Maritime NZ Public Update and Advisory - Rena Disaster - 17 October

by Maritime on 17 Oct 2011
Maritime NZ, on Monday 17 October, issued a media release/public notice in regard to the Rena Disaster updating on the situation and containing public information relating to the environmental disaster.

Rena Update (#28)

The removal of oil from the Rena has continued today with good progress being made. A crew of three salvage team members will remain on board overnight to continue with pumping as weather permits. About 70 tonnes of oil had been pumped off the vessel as of 5.30pm today.

Earlier reports that the Rena had broken up are incorrect. Salvage experts advise that while the vessel is cracked port and starboard, it remains together in one piece and is in the same position as it has been for the past week.

Svitzer Salvage team leader Captain Drew Shannon indicated that the ship had its own unique challenges.

'It’s a difficult and challenging operation. Our team is taking their time to remove the oil safely to minimise further risk to the environment.

'We are also working feverishly in the background with planning and logistics on the removal of containers. Our priority however remains the removal of the oil from Rena.

'We’re continuing steadily with the transfer of oil. We had to first prove the system and now are working to improve that and speed up the removal process,' Captain Shannon said.

He also had high praise for MNZ and the New Zealand Defence Force, and thanked them for their assistance with the salvage operation.

A booster pump is being prepared and is likely to be operational by this evening, while steam units (to help heat the oil to make it easier to pump) are still a work in progress

National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn said the magnitude of effort in recovering oil is significant.

'We’ve had no new oiling on our beaches. I visited the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre today and seeing penguins swimming around really reminded me of why we’re doing this,' Mr Quinn said.

'We've had a team out at White Island and we can confirm there's been a light amount of oiling, although because it's weathered, emulsified oil in the form of palm sized patties, they’re relatively easy to collect and remove.'

Other information:

Salvage

the current focus is on pumping from the accessible port side (tank #5)
if the ship does break up, that will move the operation into a different realm of salvage, however, fuel oil can still be recovered if the stern is on the seabed

Oil clean-up

350 volunteers took part in beach clean-ups today.

Generous offers of support from local businesses are being taken up.

Shoreline clean-up assessment teams continue to patrol shorelines – with the shore from Waihi to Cape

Runaway segmented

Tomorrow, segmentation of the area from Waihi north to Mercury Bay will take place
further assessments are being done overnight regarding possible reopening of closed beaches
53 tonnes of waste has been collected today, with a total of 744 tonnes of waste collected so far

Wildlife

More than 200 animals are currently in care
Care is being taken to ensure the 40 endangered New Zealand Dotterels in the centre are kept as stress-free as possible

Iwi liaison

There are now eight volunteer ‘pods’ from Waihi to Maketu rocky shore training took place today at Maketu and will continue on Mauao tomorrow a group of volunteers has been mobilised on Motiti Island, and resources have also been deployed to the island

Defence Force

· the Naval vessel Rotoiti maintains its presence within the exclusion zone and is continuing to patrol the area

· reconnaissance teams have been assessing options for clean-up operations in the eastern Bay of Plenty

· the Seasprite helicopter is coming on task for night surveillance and operational assistance.

Rena Update (#27)

Reports by some media that the Rena is breaking up are incorrect. Salvage experts advise that while the Rena is cracked port and starboard, it remains together in one piece and is in the same position as it has been for the past week.

MNZ Salvage Unit Manager Andrew Berry (who today replaces Bruce Anderson as part of a shift rotation) says oil pumping operations are progressing. A booster pump is now in place, which is hoped to begin operation soon.

'All going well, this will increase our pumping capacity, and we will be continuing to pump oil for as long as we possibly can today. However, the operation is still very much dependent upon a number of factors, such as weather, equipment, vessel stability and other considerations, which will have an impact upon how well this process goes.

'The key point is that every drop of oil that we can get off the ship is one less drop that can potentially end up in the environment, but it will be a long, slow and steady process.'

Meanwhile, Bay of Plenty businesses have been outstanding in their support of the thousands of people working on the Rena response, with generous offers of assistance continuing to flood in.

Incident Command Centre Volunteer Coordinator Bruce Fraser says the team has been 'blown away' by the community response to the spill, with around 5,500 volunteers now signed up to assist with spill clean-up, and local businesses coming through with offers of accommodation, food, drink, equipment, and more.

'We’d like to thank the people of Bay of Plenty and further afield who have signed up to be volunteers or are working in different areas of the response. We also want to acknowledge the fantastic support of local businesses. It’s fantastic to see this kind of community spirit shining through.

'A wonderful example of this spirit is Mrs McNaughton of Greerton, who wanted to support the response, but due to ill-health was unable to join the beach clean-up team. But she has not let that stop her, she’s been busy making litres and litres of soup and casserole to help feed the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) team, who are working hard on the response,' Mr Fraser says.

As the amount of oil coming ashore diminishes, there is a decline in public clean-up activity on beaches – though the response team will ramp up activity should the situation change.

National On Scene Commander, Nick Quinn said the extraordinary efforts of volunteers and others involved in the clean-up has taken care of most of the current oil within the environment.

'While our initial need for mass volunteers has slowed over the past 24 hours, we are still mindful that the situation may change at any time, particularly given the current weather forecast, which is for worsening weather overnight,' Mr Quinn says.

'Don’t be discouraged if you have not been called up as yet. We still have over 5,500 volunteers who have registered their support and we will be contacting you when your help is required. We are grateful of the ongoing commitment of the local community.

'Some weathered oil may still appear on the shoreline – if you encounter this you should avoid contact with it and advise authorities of the exact location of the oil by calling 0800 645 774, to ensure it is being collected by trained professionals.'

Rena Update (#26)

Fishermen, boaties and other vessel operators coming across containers at sea that have fallen from Rena are asked not to attempt to touch or move the containers, as they remain a significant navigational hazard.

National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn says vessel skippers should instead gather as much information as possible, including a latitude and longitude, container number, colour, size, drift direction and rate if possible, and report it to Bay of Plenty Maritime Radio on Channel 16 or Taupo Maritime Radio on High Frequency. Alternatively, mariners should phone the Tauranga-based incident response team on 0800 645 774. Information can also be emailed to containers.rena@gmail.com and coordinationunit.rena@gmail.com

'While at sea, the containers and their contents remain the property of the salvors Svitzer, so mariners are asked not to attempt to touch or tow them, as Svitzer will deal with them. Similarly, people are asked not to go near any containers that may wash ashore, but instead report their location and any other relevant information to us.'

Mr Quinn says specialist container salvage experts Braemar Howells Ltd have been engaged by Svitzer to secure and, if necessary, decontaminate any containers may come ashore.

A team from Braemar Howells is currently heading to Whakatane to retrieve a container discovered by a local fisherman near Rurima Island earlier today.

'We’re very grateful for any reports from local mariners or people on shore who may come across containers, as that means we can then send out specialist teams to deal with them.'

Meanwhile, in other developments:

· pumping of oil from Rena is continuing today – weather conditions are currently calm
· there is a chance of increased swell later this evening, which may impact on operations
· another pump has been brought in to help boost pumping operations on board Rena
· the rate of pumping will increase once the new pump is in place
· all operations need to be staged and done incrementally to ensure all risk is mitigated
· additionally, some portable steam units are being sourced to possibly heat the oil
· the salvage team is currently exploring whether the ship’s auxiliary systems can be used as a power source
· Rena remains on a 21 degree list
· containers on board are currently secure, but if swell increases, some more may be lost
· there are currently nine salvors working on board Rena
· there is a Navy Seasprite helicopter on standby for overnight operations, in case an evacuation is necessary and surface vessels are also on standby during the day
· wider aerial surveillance is being carried out to locate any further existing oil that may be in the water or on shore
· no further oil is believed to have left the vessel and any oil on beaches is from the original spill
· seafood should not be gathered from areas affected by oil – fishing is not affected except for inside the exclusion zone
· 207 live birds and 3 New Zealand Fur Seals are now in care at the Wildlife Centre
· a total of 1,290 dead birds have been recovered
· there is a community briefing at the Whakatane High School for local residents at 6pm today (Monday 17 October)
· there is a stakeholder briefing for environmental groups at 11am tomorrow (Tuesday 18 October) at the Tauranga Boys College Auditorium
· there is stakeholder briefing for tourism operators at 5.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday) at Classic Flyers, 8 Jean Batten Place, Tauranga Airport
· there is a community briefing for Te Puke, Maketu, Pongakawa and Pukehina residents at the Te Puke Memorial Hall, Jellicoe Street at 6.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday).



Rena Update (#25)

The focus of operations today continues to centre on the salvage effort aboard Rena with some good progress made overnight on pumping oil off the stricken ship.

MNZ Salvage Unit Head Bruce Anderson says 21 tonnes of oil was pumped from the vessel overnight onto the Awanuia, after pumping operations got underway about 6.30pm yesterday and continued successfully throughout the night. Pumping got underway after evacuation and operational safety plans were put in place.

'Considering that the oil is the consistency of marmite and has to be pushed through 150m of hose, this represents an excellent effort.

'Night time operations have given us additional lead time, particularly given the expected change in weather conditions forecast for later today.

'Every bit of oil that is removed from the damaged vessel reduces the risk of further oil spilling into the environment.'

A salvage team worked through the night to pump oil from the ship, and will continue to work through the day as long as conditions safely allow.

'This is a hugely challenging and risky operation even in full daylight – these are incredibly brave and dedicated people who are working very hard to protect the beaches and coastline of the Bay of Plenty and the communities who use them.'

Weather conditions this morning are excellent, with calm seas and no wind, though they are anticipated to change later today.

National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn says clean-up crews will continue to look for oil along the coastline today.

'We will be focusing on scientific monitoring and surveillance of further patches of oil that come ashore, and will continue to send teams out to pick up oil as needed.
Mr Quinn says people are urged not to collect or eat any shellfish from local beaches, as public health warnings remain in force. This advice remains in place even for beaches that were contaminated and which have now been cleaned and reopened.

Most beaches also remain closed. Limited access is available at the main beach at Mt Maunganui down to Leisure Island. There is no swimming at all beaches.

'We will be continuing to assess the state of local beaches, and if it is safe do so, with no threat to public health, we may look to re-open some beaches over the coming days.

'In the meantime, we ask people to please keep off any closed beaches and to continue to report any sign of fresh oil or affected wildlife to us.'

Around 460 volunteers assisted yesterday with beach clean ups at Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, and Maketu, while a further 260 volunteers from Opotiki to East Cape have been trained and are ready to launch into action. A further 30 volunteers were also trained at Bowentown yesterday.

'The response from the people of the Bay of Plenty has been nothing short of amazing,' Mr Quinn says. 'As of this morning, almost 5,500 volunteer registrations have been received, which is fantastic.'

There are three clean-up sessions planned for today, (Monday) – two at Papamoa (starting from the Papamoa Surf Club and Taylor Reserve) and one at Mount Maunganui (Clyde Street Beach Access). All start at 1.30pm.

Volunteer coordinators at the incident command centre are rostering volunteers so their assistance can be used effectively.

As of last night, 181 live birds were being treated at the Oiled Wildlife Recovery Centre. Three fur seals are also in care.

About 1,250 dead birds have been recovered to date.

Reminder: there is a community briefing in Whakatane at 6pm today. This is being held at the Whakatane High School.